


Frozen: The Blackest of Tidings

by RealDone_Universe



Category: Frozen (2013)
Genre: Adventure, Complete, F/M, Fanfiction, Fantasy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-16
Updated: 2016-01-16
Packaged: 2018-05-14 08:03:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 41,567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5735938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RealDone_Universe/pseuds/RealDone_Universe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>[Post Film] After calamity befell Corona, the sovereignty of Arendelle has been threatened. Unable to lead their kingdom, the sisters lose their royal standing, relinquishing it to the Nine Stars, an Order that rules over the Eight Kingdoms of the realm. Determined to clear the names, they search for the truth behind their parent's death and the source of their power.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Table

COLD WINDS swept around her, the unyielding fog giving nothing but vague grey and blue. Her dry lips quivered and her eyes fluttered opened, rime screeching under her fingernails as she sat up. A loud ringing in her ears gave way to screams and wails muffling with the sounds of steel clanging against each other.

Her platinum blonde hair shifted gently as she turned, a sense of deep worry and confusion enveloping her. Her sister lay unconscious across from her, strawberry blonde hair obscuring her face and soaking in crimson. Blood pooled around her, streaking up to her fingers.

"A… Anna?" She inched toward her sister, pain radiating in her right shoulder as she sobered slowly.

A figure parted the mist behind her, its colossal form towering over as it approached. It swung a large sword down at her, its sheer girth emanating a muffled sound as it moved.

* * *

THE MORNING light met her face, welcoming her to the new yet worrisome day. Three months had passed since the appearance of the flying knight called Tony Stark and his presence brought more confusion in the kingdom. He explained how the times changed, how the worlds had merged and all of it troubled her.

What did it mean? Who caused it? What was she to do? Elsa's heart was deeply troubled and confused. Nothing made sense to her and as Queen of Arendelle; it seemed to rest all on her shoulders. With the Order of the Nine Stars having deserted the kingdom during the same time, fear had bored its way into her mind.

Neither she nor Queen Rapunzel or Duke Eugene had heard from Lord Erhard and the Order and it was unsettling. She feared for her sister and herself, wondering how the kingdoms that lost their monarchs were fairing out. Despite her remorse for their loss, Rapunzel urged her not to attend the burials of the fallen royals for their safety as they would surely be blamed for their deaths.

As she gripped her arm worriedly, another feeling swelled within her, one which met her rarely. Ruling the entire kingdom had had its ups and downs, but she always felt strong no matter what came her way. Now that her first year as Queen was nearing its end and her sister was betrothed, she felt lonely.

She sighed as a familiar pattering of feet met her ears, her eyes turning to the man who approached her. The light reflected against his curly blonde hair, blue eyes glinting brightly and a smile stretching his beard that was warm and inviting. His muscular build lay hidden beneath a white three-quarter, twin-tailed blazer that covered a black shirt and trousers which wrapped around leather shoes.

"Sir Balder." A small smile curved her lips. "What is it?"

"You worry me, my Queen." He walked up to her. "Ever since the flying knight arrived; you've spent many a morning at that window. Does it trouble you that much?"

"What am I supposed to do?" She turned back to the window. "First dragons, then demons and giants, my sister controls fire and now time is on its head. Are we supposed to turn our clocks back? Forward? Inside out?"

"Doubt references would make a good jest." He smiled, a chuckle emanating from him as he clasped his hands on the windowsill.

She glanced at him, stifling a wider smile at his company. His advice was always welcome when she was confused or troubled, but even he had no idea what should be done, if they could do anything at all about the situation. She sighed, a source of relief coming to mind as her smile widened.

"At least our food problems are solved, Rapunzel's really nice." She turned to the palace grounds.

"Yes, her kindness is most appreciated." He nodded. "I would like to ask, if I'm not intruding, what your relation is with her."

"She's my cousin."

"Good thing Anna did not know or someone else would have ruled Arendelle in your stead." He huffed slightly. "She really detested being queen."

"She knew. I guess she was just so overwhelmed that it slipped her mind." She shrugged. "it's not for everyone after all."

"Indeed."

She turned to her left, the town's square peaking past the palace walls. She sighed slightly, her eyes welling up with worry as she gazed onward. Another point of concern coursed through her, lips twitching slightly with uncertainty.

"How long should we lie to them? We could tell them something, right?" She turned to him.

"And what do we tell them? We do not fully understand what has happened to the world nor can we prove it ourselves. We only believed the flying knight because he arrived when the sun rose immediately after setting." He raised his brow.

"I don't know, I just …" She sighed, clasping her eyes shut in aggravation. "Don't like lying to them, you know? They're gonna hate us even more if we keep them in the dark like this."

"At this point, there's very little you could do to ease their concerns. Whether they hate you or not, the fact remains that you are Queen. Only you can rule and they will understand soon enough." He smiled again and it faltered. "I hope."

"Gonna have to cross our fingers on that one." She smiled at him.

"Indeed, my Queen."

Her eyes met with his, the azure blue stabbing into hers of the icy sea, cherry pink glimmering lightly in her cheeks. She looked away from him, her eyes fluttering slightly and latching onto the palace grounds. He smiled at her, looking at the town past the walls as he leaned on the windowsill.

* * *

A GIGGLE tugged at her lips, her face bright pink in excitement with eyes fixed before her. A maroon wedding dress hung on a mannequin, the beautiful embroidery making her giddy. It was mere weeks before the ceremony and that was all that filled her mind.

Kristoff sat behind her, his hands placed on a large king sized bed with thick burgundy sheets. A smile adorned him, his wife-to-be occupying his attention as she revelled at her wedding dress. Her beauty mesmerised him, her happiness being the foremost in his mind as she eyed the gown with glee.

"Anna, I know you're excited, but can't you give yourself a break or something? You've been staring at that dress for a while now."

"I can't help it, Kristoff; we're finally getting married!" A high-pitched giggle escaped her as she bit her lip.

"Yeah, but just calm down." He chuckled.

"Which room do you want in castle?" She turned to him, a wide grin stretching her face.

"Don't I already live here?" He raised his brow.

"Or maybe we should get a house in the kingdom." She turned back to the dress.

"Maybe; haven't looked for one though." He shrugged, his lack of money dawning on him and lowering his voice by an octave.

"Ooh, ooh." She walked up to him quickly, sitting beside him and squeezing his hands like a child. "We can finally have kids."

"For someone who wants so many kids, do you know how they're made?" He turned to her.

A raging pink glimmered through her cheeks, eyes lowered in timidity as she let go of his hand. He lowered his gaze, a sly smile stretching his face as she sifted through her thoughts. She pressed her lips together, a giggle tugging at them as she tried to distract her hyperactive mind.

"I was younger then!" Her hands clasped her reddened face, her head shaking in embarrassment as her voice became higher.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"I can't do it! I'm turning it down!" She turned away from him.

"Turn down for what?" He raised his brow.

"That song won't help anything!" Her voice muffled against her hands.

"What song?" He furrowed his brow, confusion in his expression.

"I've changed my mind, I can't do this anymore." A giggle emanated from her, betraying her words.

"You're the one who said you wanted twelve kids." He tugged at her shoulder, turning her to him.

"Actually, it was twenty, but who's counting?" She laughed uneasily then her eyes dilated, the realization hitting her and causing her to quickly cover her face. "I don't wanna do it!"

He sighed, a smile warming his face as he set his eyes on her. She exhaled as well, turning to him as a refreshing calm washed over. Her turquoise blue orbs locked with his of the sandy beach, a firm hand squeezing hers gently.

"Look, Anna, as weird as marriage may be, we'll get through it together." His voice came softly. "There's nothing to worry about."

"You sure?" She furrowed her brow slightly.

"I'm here, aren't I?"

A smile adorned her face, eyes locking with his as he beamed. She placed a light kiss on his lips and rose to her feet, walking up to the mannequin. He lowered his head, a frown stiffening as he thought about his ice business.

* * *

"OH MY God, it's all over your face!" Olaf's voice vibrated in excitement.

"No, it's not." Elsa's chin lowered, her eyes latching to her right.

Olaf giggled, his glee causing Elsa's face to redden as she cast her gaze on a tree. She had left the palace grounds, her mind fuzzed as it sought to ponder the thoughts that ran through it only for her to come across him. The two sat on a bench, the sunny skies and lush flora providing clarity of mind whenever the Queen needed to introspect or simply spend time completely alone.

"You know it's not funny, right?" Her brows stitched, feigned anger betraying her as embarrassment seeped in her expression.

"Then why are you blushing?" A chuckle emanated from him.

"Leave me alone, Olaf." She turned away from him, groaning in a futile attempt to make him stop.

"I knew it; you've finally fallen in love with chocolate!"

She shifted to him, her brows stitching in confusion at what he had uttered. His innocent laugh drew a smirk from her, sweeping it under the rug of blank expression; she lowered her gaze on him. She folded her arms, trying to keep a straight face.

"Yeah, sure, I'm in love with chocolate." She stifled a laugh.

"So, when'd you two meet?" Olaf lay down on his nonexistent stomach, balancing his head in cupped hands.

"In the castle." She played along, the look on her face masking her growing impatience.

"Mmmm-hmm, go on." He nodded attentively.

"It was … sunny." She gestured at the sky, her brain linking the balloons in her mind. "… probably a Tuesday." She chuckled, her eyes latching onto nothing, "He was tall …"

"Chocolate can be tall?" He raised his brow.

"Uh." Her eyes dilated, the fact dawning on her that she was thinking about something else. "Leave me alone, Olaf!"

She huffed and turned away from him, his laugh bringing a frown to her reddening face. The clanking of hooves met their ears, drawing their attention as they rose to their feet. Chattering came from the town square, peaking their interest as a commotion started.

"What's going on?" Her brow rose as the sound continued. "C'mon, Olaf."

The two left the park, making their way to the town square in a street paved with yellow bricks. A line of carriages made its way through, black horses pulling matching ones in the front row. They seeped into a crowd of people that lined the path, their attention taken by the oncoming entourage.

"The Order …" She furrowed her brow.

"Who're they?" He looked up at her.

She turned to him, the look in his eyes making her remember that he was a new manifestation of the snowman. The Olaf she knew since she was a child had been destroyed by Anna months ago. It was only till now that she realized that this was a different being altogether.

What did it mean? If she spawned him, could she not create him with the exact same memories? Why did the Olaf standing before her have no recollection of the Order? Was he a copy of him somehow? Simply like the snowgies; a soulless clone? Her mind fought those questions, but they crept back in. He had to have been special; at least she tried to convince herself of it.

She turned back to the carriages approaching them, ignoring his question. If this Olaf had no memory of them, it was a good thing. She did not want him to have to worry about them especially that they were not the only ones arriving this time around.

She snuck into an alley as the parade approached, the shade providing a good hiding spot. A golden carriage eased into her peripheral, her eyes turning as she set them on Rapunzel who sat within it.

Her eyes welled with worry, her lips pressed as her face exuded unease. Her husband's expression was no different, his arm leaning against a widow frame as he lowered his gaze to his lap. They looked like they were being dragged to prison, a fate Elsa would prefer in comparison to what she feared Erhard had in store for her.

His eyes that dwelled in deep darkness spotted her as she flew toward the palace, the trail of snow impeding her attempt to be stealthy. He set his sight onward, a stony expression washing over as he nudged his horse to walk faster. His soldiers followed him, quickening the pace of the carriages.

Feeling her vehicle shudder, she knew Erhard had spotted Elsa. Rapunzel lowered her head, hands clasping her knees as fear enveloped her. A gentle hand covered hers, Eugene's eyes meeting hers, giving reassurance that things would get better. She smiled at him, her eyes brimming in with a contrary emotion.

* * *

HER CHAIR felt cold, an odd sense giving that she had control over it; a power that was half the reason this meeting was taking place. Anna sat at her side, her eyes darting around as fear welled within her. Despite it being her sister's first time attending an assembly of the Table of Eight, Elsa felt equal unease.

Glares bored through the sisters, the cold eyes of the princes and princesses shooting daggers their way. Erhard sat at the end of the large oak table, his hands laid on the armrests and his eyes hidden behind the dark shadow of his thick cloak. Unlike his previous visit, he kept his hood on during the entire meeting, the decision making him look more intimidating.

"I call this meeting to order." His voice spread throughout the room, its heaviness feeling unearthly.

Everything about him felt different, his thick voice seeming lighter in comparison to the heavier one he had upon their first meeting. Its reverberation sent shivers up Anna and Elsa's spines, Rapunzel visibly shifting in earshot. Shrugging off the reactions of the people in the room, he sat back.

"It weighs on me heavily that we assemble the Table thrice within such a short period of time, but such are the times for a great travesty befell us. Three months ago, six members of the Table were burned to death in the night, here in Arendelle, barely a month after the princess of this kingdom gained the unnatural ability to control fire. We swallowed our pride and lowered our guard in order to let Queen Elsa, a woman who can control ice, sit with us and now we have suffered the consequences." His head shifted to Elsa, his indistinguishable gaze making her jerk back slightly. "Rise, Queen Elsa."

Dryness occupied her throat, her eyes trailing around as the cold glares of the others at the table faltered into looks of unease. She rose up, clasping tightly against the armrests of her chair to mask the tremulous fear coursing through them. She stood up, swallowing hard as she struggled to compose herself.

"The last time we met, I gave you a preposition; surrender the throne to the Nine Stars and we will let you leave alive with your men, refuse, and the Nine Stars will be forced to hunt you down as traitors." Murmuring spread upon Erhard's revelation, the members of the Table shifting in anger.

"You would let them get away after killing my mother?" A princess growled.

"We can't prove they did it." Princess Cinderella turned to her.

"Shut up, whore!" The princess rose from her seat, eyes glaring with hatred.

"You dirty little –,"

"A mistake I clearly made …" Erhard's voice came, the murmuring ceasing swiftly. "And will not do so again. The Table is dishevelled, for these princes and princesses are merely children who cannot fully understand the complexities of ruling a kingdom," uneasy shifting swept the room, "nevertheless, we shall decide on the fate of Arendelle. Before we decide your fate here and now before gods and men, what can you say to lessen the punishment that is coming to you?"

Elsa exhaled, her fists clenching as she raked her mind for ideas. She turned to Anna, her body moving uneasily in her seat, anxiety showing on her face. It dawned upon her, the realization that she had prepared for this occasion washing over.

"Anna is innocent." A calm expression adorned her, eyes fixed on Erhard.

"What?" A princess squeaked.

The monarchs grumbled, murmuring spreading as a loud argument slowly ensued. Erhard shook his head, seeing the princes and princesses' parents in them, their unruliness clearly having been inherited. He sighed, a feeling of nostalgia welling in him as his heart grew heavy.

"She was bewitched. Three months ago, she attacked me before the Nine Stars left the kingdom and this." She fished out a vial of blue liquid from her bodice, holding it out for all to see."Was discovered in her drink from the night before the monarchs were burned." She trailed her eyes around and continued, "Silver Leaf, it's a concoction that opens someone up to hypnotic suggestion. That should clear everything, shouldn't it?" She smirked and lowered her arm. "You were present when she went berserk and I have eyewitnesses to prove that she was under a spell."

"Yes, I was present, but we cannot be certain whether she was bewitched. _She_ may be a witch herself. I have seen their eyes turn white when they perform magic before." Erhard sat back.

"I'm not a witch!" Rage exuded in Anna's expression.

"Yeah." Rapunzel rose to her feet then quickly sat down; pressing her hands against her lap nervously. "Forgive me, Lord Erhard."

"…" Elsa's eyes widened, her brows stitching in disbelief. "You –," She sighed. "If she was a witch, why would she attack me? She's my sister."

"Blood relations do not inhibit evil actions such as those. Even if she was indeed bewitched, do you have proof as to who did it?" Erhard leaned forward. "Do you know who was responsible?"

Elsa bit her lip, anger and frustration rushing in the crimson that coursed through her face. No one had been apprehended for the crime and Balder had his doubts about the use of the concoction. Even if it was used, no one had come in contact with Anna the night before she burned the monarchs, so a hypnotic instruction could not have been given to her.

Elsa glanced at Anna; her sister's body leaning against the chair as unease exuded from her. With an exhale, the Queen lowered her head, defeated as she had nothing else to bring forth that could prove her innocence. The vial nearly cracked in her grip, fear engulfing her as she braced herself.

"It is my duty as Head of the Table to carry out its decisions. I do not make them on my own, but in its current state, that responsibility rests on my shoulders." He rose to his feet. "Queen Elsa and Princess Anna are hereby excommunicated from the Table. All titles, land and property they own shall be in the custody of the Order and they will be cast out into the streets."

"Lord Erhard –," Rapunzel rose to her feet.

"You can't do this!" Anna scowled as she stood up.

"It is a heavy burden, but it is what is needed if peace is to be sustained in the realm. You two clearly cannot be trusted, but we will not sully the integrity of the Table by killing its members. In respect of your parents, King Adgar and Queen Idun, I shall be merciful and allow you to live whatever lives you want to make for yourselves, but you cannot stay here in Arendelle."

With a breath of defeat, Elsa turned to her sister who stepped back with eyes widened in fear. She looked at Erhard, his shrouded face brimming in complete neutrality toward her, despite seeming completely hateful. She sighed glancing around at the faces of the monarchs as they gazed upon her.

* * *

ELSA'S HEELS and Anna's shoes clicked as they strode, the sound muffled by the blaring silence that assaulted their ears. The glares were equally as unyielding, some of them filled with confusion and others completely cold and distant as a crowd lined the street. Some people stepped back, giving way for them and increasing their feeling of alienation.

A glimmer of hope brightened the princess's face as a small boy reached toward her, his dirt brown eyes overflowing with excitement upon locking with hers. It quickly slipped away as his mother's hands gripped his shoulders, swallowing him back into the crowd as her gaze dripped with hatred. Jerking back, Anna gulped in surprise, Elsa being unfazed by the swift action yet still gripped with suspense as she wondered what the crowd around them would do.

A gong's reverberant clanging ripped through the silence, its ringer's voice booming as he spoke to the people, telling them of how their monarchs had lost their status. His words clawed underneath the worry that blanketed Elsa's heart, wearing at her as it weighed down. The floodgates broke, tears streaking down her pale skin as whimpers quivered within. With hands gripping her arms, she lowered her head, hiding sadness from the crowd.

Remorse rived her Queenly composure, the troubled mind making an unwanted return. Despite having confidence in her ability to rule, the people, after all this time, still looked at her as a monster. It ate at her, bleeding out more pain as tears streamed down her face.

"Elsa." Anna's hand reached for her sister, eyes welling up in worry.

The silence gave way for chaos as the bloodthirsty people tugged at the sisters. The angry people in the crowd outnumbered the sympathetic as the Queen and princess were pushed around. Sadness contorted Elsa's face, her hands clenched on her shoulders as regret manacled her thoughts as she let the weaker townspeople have their way with her. Confusion clouded Anna's mind, surprise and shock warring to stifle her attempts to flee or defend herself.

Their hands were vicious, like claws, tearing bits off the sisters' clothes, expensive fabric littering the ground they trod on. Screams of anger and ill intent took over as the crowd massed around them. Swift and strong grips came upon Anna and Elsa, swallowing them deeper into the crowd with surprising strength.

A cloth clenched over the Queen's mouth, the pressure exerted on it snuffing out her breath. Her weeping quickly turned as uncontrollable fear gripped her, arms flailing as she fought to break free. Anna's voice muffled as a cloth wrapped around her mouth, her eyes sinking into her head as she lost consciousness. Elsa's hands fell weak, the loud murmuring fading from her ears as darkness filled her view.

She blacked out.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

Welcome to the RealDone Universe. If you're new, welcome again and if not, then thank you for your patience. It's been a while, but the book is finally online and we can officially continue down the road of the third arc in the universe. During the early stages of this book, we noticed that all our OCs had actually been developed with the flip of the coin, i.e. we just winged it and made stuff up as we went along with it. Normally, we plan everything, but it just occurred to us when writing this chapter and we thought we'd let you know about it.

This book will deal with far more magic and more violence. Our changes to Elsa and Anna might seem drastic, but hopefully, you'll understand as the book progresses. Tell us what you think in a review and thank you for reading

**As always, Follow, Favourite and Review and Await the Awesomeness as we dive deeper into the universe. Thanks for reading.**


	2. Love in Times of War

HER LIPS quivered, icy blue clawing out of the darkness as her eyes took in their surroundings. She pushed herself upward, a heaviness slowly slipping off as she sobered. The silence still blared, her vision blurring as sleep persisted.

The darkness struggled against the light of flames, a fireplace illuminating the dim room. The dull wood brought warmth in colour, a smoky and earthy scent enveloping her senses. She looked around, the chirping of crickets and crackling of fire meeting her ears as she realized what time it was.

A whimper followed by heavy breathing drew her attention, Balder's large form leaning against a wall as he sat on a chair coming to view. He guided a shaky hand, its grip inserting a suture into an open wound that lined his arm. With a swift move and a pained face, he closed it, knotting the thread to complete the seam.

He exhaled, distress evident in his breath as he placed the scissors and leftover catgut into a box lying beside him. She entered his peripheral, her untied hair blending with the cream wall as she sat on a bed with thick brown sheets.

"Oh, you've awoken, my Queen." He forced a smile, his eyes betraying him as they exuded discomfort.

"Where am I?" Her brows stitched with confusion.

"In." His breath hitched slightly. "The woods. I had this cabin built for times like these. You're safe; no one will find us here."

"Where's Anna?" Her mind fumbled, bearings strewn all over.

"In the other room with Kristoff." He exhaled again, pain seeping through. "She awoke moments ago and he went to check on her."

Her eyes trailed down his body, scars littering his arms from the torture he sustained during the interrogation from the Order and small cuts on his face that seemed fresh, coming to view. Her mind recollected everything, the realisation dawning on her, leading her to push dishevelled hair behind her ear.

"So, you were the one who knocked me out earlier?" Concern welled in her expression.

"It was the only way to get you out before they ripped you apart, my Queen. Forgive me."

"I understand …" She watched him painfully attempt to reach for a bucket to the left with his right arm.

"The people of Arendelle are more vicious than I thought." His voice strained.

A dull screech met his ears, his head turning to Elsa who moved a chair up to him. She took a seat, picking a rag out of the bucket and twisting the water out of it. Surprise dilated his eyes, meeting hers that turned away, avoiding their gaze.

"My Queen –,"

"I just wanna help." A small smile graced her.

She dabbed the rag on a cut on his forehead, its contact drawing a wince from him; one he feebly attempted to mask. The curly locks of hair brushed up against her hand as it trailed his face, its light touch feeling airy.

Her eyes locked with his, cherry pink forming in her cheeks upon seeing them. She redirected her gaze, a calm expression driving away the warmth her face radiated. Her orbs trailed him, the scars drawing a question, one that came to her before.

"Why do you care so much?"

"What do you mean?"

"Why do you care so much? You've risked your life for me when you didn't need to. Our banishment wouldn't affect you; the Order would probably give you another title or let you keep your position as Advisor."

"It isn't about my title, it's about what's right for the kingdom."

She sat back, disbelief in her eyes as she stopped dabbing his face. Her brows stitched, probing him as she processed what he just uttered. He looked back at her, the mask of impassivity withholding his unease as she studied him.

"You would risk your life simply for the kingdom?"

"Not necessarily, but I was concerned about you. I could not let you die."

"I can take care of myself." She chuckled.

She moved toward him, worry welling in her expression as she saw him wince again. Continuing, she dabbed another cut on his face, her touch being gentler the second time. A smile graced her, twitching involuntarily in anxiety as she diminished the space between them.

"You didn't need to risk your life for me." Her voice softened.

Warmth swelled within her, an odd, overly gentle feeling swimming through as she cleaned his wounds. All deliberate restraint in exerted pressure relinquished to a nurturing intent, her hand taking in every contour of his face as she dabbed. She turned away from him, dipping the cloth in the bucket nearby and squeezing the water out of it.

"Could there be another reason you're doing this?" A small smile tugged at her lips as she continued dabbing.

"You are the rightful Queen of Arendelle; no one else should be on the throne." He locked eyes with hers.

She sat back again, her eyes fluttering slightly as she shifted her gaze and let out a sigh. Her smile remained, her orbs locking back with his, allowing herself to soak in the azure blue. A gentle, careful expression exuded from him, her smile twitching slightly as it graced her.

"Or so you say." She lowered her eyes till they were half open, her smile turning into a smirk as she continued prying. "There's another reason."

He looked into her eyes, the icy blue calming his pained expression. He matched her smile, the warmth in him deciding to make its revelation. The pink in her cheeks, though swept away, remained aglow; its glimmer beautifying her delicate face.

"I want to protect you, my Queen. As Arendelle's rightful monarch, you are the one the people need and the one I revere and would lay my life down for." He took a leap, abandoning his impersonal form of address, "It's because I care about you, Elsa."

Her brows rose sharply upon hearing him, his voice filled with sincerity. Losing the façade, her face reddened with unrestraint, eyes fluttering as she lowered her face. Her heart felt heavy as its beating increased, worry clouding her mind.

"You're just lying to me, aren't you?" The words escaped her, their source filled with a contrary thought.

Her body shifted, fears rushing in as distrust and betrayal took centre stage in her psyche. With a thumb circling the rag, she bit her lip discreetly, pondering on his words. He leaned toward her, softening his voice as he continued.

"I'm not."

"And why should I trust you?" She glanced at him, averting her eyes from his.

"Because I love you, Elsa."

Disbelief washed over her as she turned to him, eyes dilated in surprise. Her brows furrowed, probing his expression as his smile widened slightly. She replayed the moment, the statement failing to etch into her mind and convince her.

"You do …?" Her voice trailed off, her breath hitching as the space between them diminished.

He drew closer to her, his advancement making her shift back slightly. Upon continuing, she stopped retreating, eyes locking with his as her mouth parted slightly. Unconsciously, she inched toward him, her moist lips reflecting the warm glow of the fireplace. Her gaze fogged as she moved in, losing herself in the moment as her eyes shut slowly.

Their lips crashed into each other, heat resonating through their bodies as her longing grew. Bliss washed over her, letting go as she gave in to the feeling and deepened the kiss. Her hands clasped on his face, warm, soothing fingers raking through his blonde locks as she moved closer, her breath interweaving with his.

She rose to her feet, their lips locked, moistening and releasing sounds reminiscent to clicks. Restraint vanished as she continued, the slit in her dress fissuring up her thigh as she sat astride on his lap. Passion ignited the fire raging between them as their bodies rubbed against each other.

Excitement had its way with her, lacing through her breath as she leaned into him. They parted, eyes meeting as she breathed deeply and moved back. Her emotions surged, their euphoric release culminating in mutual affection for him. Pressing their foreheads together, her arms covering his neck and his hands on her thighs; they soaked in the embodiments of their desire, relishing the closeness as they shared breaths heated purely by hunger.

Their lips met again, reckless abandon taking over as his arms wrapped around her smooth back and her hands caressed his rough face. He rose to his feet, her legs hooking around his waist as the kiss intensified. He placed her on the bed, landing on top of her while leaning on a knee to tower over.

She pulled away from him, loving eyes immersing into hers as she rested her head on the bed, trailing her hands along his side and his caressing her upper leg. Her hair splayed over on the sheets, platinum locks spreading over and adorning her. Her eyes lowered, deep pink drenching her face as a contented warm smile graced it. His expression matched, orbs burning intensely as they gazed upon her.

Clasping her hands over his nape, she stared at him, her breath conveying silent words urging him to go on. Scooping her back, they kissed each other deeply, fire swimming through as passion overcame them.

* * *

WITH A groan, she pushed herself up, her arms moving to stretch when a rush of cold impeded her, causing her to pull up the blankets. Her eyes trailed the room, the smouldering firewood and fogey window causing her to try and fish through her memory to recall what happened the previous night. A musical hum escaped her as she tapped her chin, failing to remember anything.

She turned again, a lock of strawberry blond hair resting on her bare shoulder reminding her of what happened. With a small smile, she set her gaze on him, his eyes shut as he was in a deep sleep. She lay back on the bed, balancing herself on her elbows as she watched him sinking in slumber. Her hand moved to touch him when the door swung open, familiar muffled steps coming to her ears.

"Can I come in now? Maybe I shouldn't ask that since I'm in here, but." He chuckled. "Should've knocked or something." His eyes dilated, a grin stretching his face. "Anna!"

"Olaf!" Her voice stifled, eyes darting around as a frown grew on her face. "Shh, you're gonna wake –," She quickly pulled up the blankets. "You're gonna wake someone up."

"Hi –," He wrapped a finger over his bucktooth, his eyes narrowing as he studied her. "Did you do something with your hair?"

She ran her fingers through her hair, its former braid disintegrated as it flowed freely. With a groan, the realization dawned that she would have to plait it again when a gasp escaped her, the fact hitting her that she had no clothes on. She turned to Olaf, his ignorant and oblivious gaze making her feel uneasy.

"Oh, yeah, you did." He continued walking, then stopped and turned to Kristoff. "Hmm, but his hair hasn't changed, but something's still different." He hummed. "Something's different about you two … what is it?"

"Get outta here, Olaf!" She suffocated a scream. Upon hearing Kristoff stir, she caressed his head, her voice cooing. "Go to sleep, go to sleep, nothing's wrong." She turned to the snowman, her arm flailing as she gestured for him to leave. "Go!" her tone stifled.

Olaf's eyes scanned the room, the dull coloured wood diminishing his excitement as he looked around. He beamed upon seeing Sven outside, a grin stretching on his face as he turned to leave the room. He waved at her without turning, relief washing over as she sighed.

"Okay, I'm gonna play with Sven." He reached for the door handle, his hand failing to grasp it. "Uh, heh." He laughed nervously. "Could you help me out?"

Anna growled, a scowl stitching her brows as she held her hand out menacingly. A flame grew in her palm, its flare and glow sending chills up his spine; an odd sense since he both enjoyed fire and it made her face look frightening, however possible that was. He shuddered, debating between running toward her or out of the room.

"Go." She breathed heavily.

"I'm going, I'm going!" He panicked.

He jumped and opened the door, quickly running out as he slammed it shut, the muffled steps receding into silence. A gasp escaped her, a hand clasping over her mouth as she realized what she just did. Her eyes darted around as she muffled her voice, trying not to awaken Kristoff.

"Oh, crap, did I just do that?"

* * *

HIS FIRM grip nearly scored into the wooden armrest, a growl escaping his throat in a somewhat raspy manner as his eyes narrowed on his second-in-command. Erhard sat in his new office, having replaced the chair Elsa sat on with a larger, rustic one that better accommodated his build. The man standing before him clearly was uneasy, the mask of calmness failing him as his gaze darted around the room.

"You're telling me that they got away?" Erhard's frown deepened.

"Forgive me, my Lord, but I'm afraid so." The man shifted slightly.

"Well, we shall find them soon enough." Erhard sat back, crossing his legs and interlocking his fingers before him. "We have more pressing matters. How are we on the hunt?"

"It seems more dragons have been found in the north in a small village called Berk. His words have proven true; the worlds have indeed merged into one."

"Indeed." Erhard exhaled, a shakiness evident beneath the calm release. "Are you sure we can house them along with the others?"

"The fortress still stands to hold beasts ten times more than the ones we have; we can surely house them."

"Then, we shall –,"

The man's eyes dilated, his blue orbs turning into a pale grey as his gaze shifted through the room. Erhard knew this phenomenon very well, following the man as he looked around. He exhaled, his focus fixing onto the door, drawing a nod from his lord. Erhard turned, the flick of his hand directing the two soldiers standing beside him to run toward the entrance.

With a swift boot, they kicked the door open, the pattering of feet receding down the hall deadening out of earshot. The eavesdropper sprinted down the expanse, the early morning light glinting off his black hood that covered his face. His long coat shook behind him, covering over deep brown trousers and shoes.

He stopped running, lowering his head as a small group of Nine Stars members approached him down the hall. He snuck in, going in their direction as the soldiers approached him. They split them up, pushing them aside as they searched for him.

A loud clunking met their ears, one of the soldiers quickly moving toward a window as the sound deadened. The spy slid down a roof, a blade in hand stabbed into the sheets to control his descent as he made his escape. His foot hit the railing, pieces of the structure rolling past him as he stood up and dislodged the weapon, its full length revealing it to be a sword. He ran onward, his agility balancing him as he progressed.

The spy ran to the edge of the roof and leaped into the air. Descending several feet to the ground, he rolled to his feet, the metallic harnesses lining his boots reducing the impact of landing on the pathway paved with grey bricks. He turned to his left, seeing some soldiers of the Order nearby.

"Hey, you there!" one of them pointed at him, the others among him reaching for their swords.

The spy ran down the pathway, slowing down slightly as he grew tired. Two horses came to his view, their reins tied to a post sparking an idea in his mind. He climbed onto one of them, balancing his feet onto its back as he stood up. He cut the animal loose and poked its hind with a dagger from his belt. The steed ran toward the wall in a panic then skidded to a halt with enough force for him to jump off it and over the wall, landing on it and it, barely catching himself.

He stood up; eyeing the town's square to his left as he sized up how far he had to reach the ground. He jumped down, rising to his feet as he scanned the area around him. With no one in sight, he straightened his clothes, walking away from the wall as he lowered his hood.

* * *

"WAIT, WAIT, hold up, you're saying they have dragons?" Anna raised her brow.

"That is all I heard before they spotted me." His voice came softly, exhaustion still exuding through. "I was there for barely ten seconds before they sensed my presence. I did not make a sound."

"It's okay, Arnljot, you heard enough." Balder sat back in his chair.

"But, you don't understand, my Lord. If word got out that 'The Eagle' was spotted in barely a minute, what will my competitors think of me? I'd be a laughingstock." Arnljot's eyes dilated in anger, shame plastering his face.

"You did the best you could." A smile warmed Anna's face, its appeal bouncing off a cold wall.

"My apologies, your highness, but you would not understand what it means. A name is all a man has." Arnljot's gaze shifted lower.

"You're being hard on yourself." Elsa's voice came.

He turned to her, the Queen's feet echoing off the creaking wooden floor. She poured tea in his cup, the gesture stitching his brow as he watched her take a seat across from him on the table. Placing the flagon down, she shifted toward Balder slightly, curiosity stiffening Arnljot's expression.

"I've never heard of a Queen serving an ordinary man like me." His voice hardened, its crispiness shaking slightly.

"Well, I just felt like I should repay you for what you've done." With twitching lips, her attempt to appear comfortable faltered as she adjusted to the coarse wood of the chair.

"You need not waste your time; your advisor pays me quite much." Arnljot gestured to Balder.

"Ah, well, just wanted to do it anyway." Elsa grinned.

A frown narrowed Arnljot's eyes, his gaze shifting to his boss who sat adjacent to the Queen. Balder shifted, the glare clawing at him as amusement plastered over his employee's face. He shrugged, the motion quickly turning the spy's expression into a smirk as he sat back.

"Heh, you work fast." Arnljot crossed his legs.

"Work with what?" Balder raked his mind, playing dumb as his eyes darted around.

"If you can call a year or so 'fast', I'm surprised it took you to finally take her." Arnljot chuckled.

"Oh, so my guess was right." A sly smile curved Anna's lips, a hand holding her head up.

Elsa's smile died down, turning into a smirk as she glared at Arnljot. Kristoff groaned, his hand shielding his face as he shook his head. A chuckle emanated from Anna, her betrothed's reaction being a source of amusement.

"Well, you can say that." Elsa sat back.

"Ah, all the suitors." Arnljot exhaled. "There were a lot of them and it took you?" he cackled. "Anyway, I'll take my leave." He rose to his feet.

"You will pay for this." Balder glared at him.

"I think you're paying me enough already." Arnljot headed for the door. "You know the usual."

"Fine." Balder exhaled and leaned against the chair. "It would be best that you go into hiding for the time being, you never know who is watching you these days."

"Oh, I found a little something for you." Arnljot reached into his pocket. "No need to add to my payment." He tossed a scroll on the table. "just double it entirely."

He smirked, flicking his hand in a quick wave as he opened the door. It shut, the shaky wood reverberating as the patter of his feet quietened. Balder grabbed the parchment, unrolling it as he rose to his feet and moved away from the table.

"What's that?" Anna followed him.

Concentration stitched Balder's brow, his eyes trailing the scroll as curiosity dilated them. It was a map, its somewhat crude illustration accommodating the altered terrain of the earth including Arendelle, Westeros, Essos, Corona and Berk in the north and the Southern Isles. The others looked at it eagerly, Anna's mind fumbling to comprehend why it was different from the ones she had seen before.

"It's a map of the realm." Balder's voice came somewhat distracted.

"Why's it different?" Anna raised her brow.

"This must be what the flying knight was talking about. If even the Order had to alter their map, then the world must indeed have changed."

Balder moved back to the table, spreading the map across its expanse for all to see. A red line trailed from Arendelle, crossing over the sea to Corona and passing it over some mountains into a vast wilderness in an unnamed portion of the landscape. Interest peaked in all of them, their eyes taking in the directions the marking gave.

"What's this place?" Anna pointed at a small island far north of Arendelle.

"A place called …" Balder's eyes squinted. "Berk. I have never heard of it before. The realm used to face the North Pole in that position."

"Wait, the continent _moved_?" disbelief washed over Kristoff's face.

"It seems so." Balder frowned.

"What?" Anna's voice came sharply.

"That's impossible." Elsa looked closely at the map.

"It's probably a fake map or something." Kristoff sat back. "That can't be real."

"The Order would not lower itself to such tricks." Balder's eyes followed the red trail.

"Well, maybe your spy's pranking ya." Kristoff scoffed.

"In all the years I have known Arnljot, he has never shown a shred of untrustworthiness." Balder shrugged. "Crass behaviour maybe, but he values money too much to play such games with me."

"So, what's this place then?" Elsa placed her finger on the end of the red trail.

"It must be the fortress of the Order, or some place that holds similar importance to them." Balder stroked his chin.

"What now?" Anna turned to him.

"We need to follow the trail in the map and find where it leads to." Balder read the map. "If it is where the Order resides, we can find out if they indeed harbour dragons and if they do, we can discredit them for good and save the kingdoms from their tyranny."

"And if they don't?" Kristoff folded his arms.

"Then we will be far away from Arendelle and be able to start lives of our own." Balder shrugged.

Elsa looked up at Balder, his tall and large build towering over her and offering her assurance. Even with the uncertainty clouding her mind, she trusted him, the affirmation widening her smile. Rolling up the map, he turned and headed for the door.

"Okay, let's get moving."

* * *

**As always, Follow, Favourite and Review and Await the Awesomeness as we dive deeper into the universe. Thanks for reading.**


	3. In Ancient Winters

HIS SHOES creaked against the wood, the crackling of the fireplace meeting his ears as he pondered on his plans for the day. Despite missing the wealth and plentiful pastimes he experienced in Asgard, Earth was slowly growing on him. That was if he could actually get out of his domain to go and explore the realm.

A smirk curved his lips, eyes glinting with determination as victory filled his lungs. His fist gripped tightly, success filling his thoughts as he traversed the expansive hall. All his endeavours and hard work would finally culminate in his ultimate goal. Or so he felt.

He could not forget the missteps and failures that plagued his road up to this point. With the merging of the worlds and the impending doom looming on the horizon, he had made some plunders he would regret. Working for Thanos came to mind, the Mad Titan living up to the name as he treated him cruelly and used his wiles to his own gain. God Himself bore witness to his undermining at the hands of the Eternal. Even after leaving the lunatic, the lunacy followed him onward like a wild, hungry dog, his memories rapidly returning.

* * *

Four months ago, fires rose to the skies above, the raging heat beating against his face though his skin denied the fury entry. The clanking of his shoes and heavy sceptre resounded in his ears, resolute focus embracing him as he snuffed out the world around him. He cast his gaze around, the dreary realm seeming to amuse him.

Beasts roamed the field, their reptilian growls and scaly skin reverberating the rage and suspicion exuding from their pliant and beady eyes. They varied in size, the smallest equating to lizards and the largest comparing to tall trees with humanoid builds. Like the world around them, they burned, superficial crackling giving off their invulnerability to the heat.

With barks and ferocious snarls, the creatures moved away from him, the smirk on his face raising his pleasure at his newfound strength. Ignoring the futile pests, he trod onward, eyes set on the epicentre of the burning wasteland whose flames blackened the skies with ash and billowing smoke.

A circular crater swallowed large boulders, the abyss burrowing far into the ground into a shrouding darkness. His feet crunched against the ground, his sceptre echoing as he struck it against the ashen earth, its resonance resounding against the walls of the chasm. Fire shot out of the depths, spraying out into the skies, engulfing the edges of the pit and spilling over to the surface of its rim.

The pillar of flame hit the skies, spreading out and illuminating them with an orange glow. Like the snap of a finger, they subsided, a thunderous roar emanating from the ditch echoing through the valley. A gale rose from the pit, winds pushing the fabric of his cloak violently as a figure shot out of the depths. A crash banged from behind him, his turn bringing a large creature to view.

His growls vibrated the scales of his body, two horns casting shadows over his chiselled back and spreading out behind him. Four smaller growths protruded from his skull, cascading back along his head and stretching out to that of the larger obtrusions on it. A large tail slithered down from his back, its girth sweeping the ground as it wrapped around his enormous legs.

Turning his titanic, enormous humanoid build, the beast shifted, the fissures of his reptilian face stitching a frown that pulsated in his veins. With soulless, cold grey eyes, he fixed his gaze on the outsider, the glowing blue orbs igniting the anger in him like the flames that raged out of the pores of his skin.

"Loki Laufeyson." His voice vibrated, an ominous resonance echoing through the air. "To what do I owe this unpleasant intrusion from the Asgardian reject?"

"Come now, is that any way to speak to an old partner? We are enemies of those pompous fools anyway, so why should we fight each other …" A smirk grew on his face, the unearthly calm in his voice reflecting in his eyes as he looked straight into the eyes of the beast. "Surtur, the Fire Demon?"

"Your false praise does not amuse me, futile pest." The monster paced around him. "An abomination of an Ice Giant and a so called 'god', Asgardian; your very presence turns my stomach inside out to a degree that I would rather suffer self evisceration and devour my own entrails." He growled. "Our previous failed alliance does not negate my hatred for you. Leave before I burn your bones and feed them to the dogs that walk this land."

"My, my, you intrigue me, compatriot." Loki chuckled. "If you really meant your words, you would have burned me the moment you sensed my presence in this world." Surtur growled, widening his smirk. "And even if you tried, you would fall at my feet."

"Watch your mouth, boy!" The beast roared. "Your newfound power means nothing to me! I have brought down incarnations of your pathetic 'all father' and I can definitely destroy you without a blink!"

"You call him my 'all father' as if I consider him family. By whose hand do you presume he fell?"

A throaty growl escaped the demon, his feet crunching against the ashen ground as he moved to see his face. Looking into his eyes, the monster studied the outsider, the energy raging through them sending jolts of anger through his scorching veins. With a snarl, he stepped back, huffing as he glared at the intruder.

"Indeed, you have gotten power, but it means nothing all the same." His frown deepened. "Leave now."

"Sadly, I do not offer you such a courtesy, I have a preposition." Loki smiled.

"One I agreed to and forsook without regret."

"You forget that things are different." Loki stepped forward. "With Odin dead and gone, Asgard is under my control."

"Then what do you ask of me? To take Midgard? I can destroy that rock with a yawn and I do not need your help to do so." Surtur began to pace again.

"But I need yours."

Veins thickened across his forehead as the beast studied the man before him. With narrowing eyes, he probed his expression, the blue orbs exuding honesty shrouded by a deadpanned gaze. Rejecting reliance on outward appearance, the monster scoffed, pacing around as he sifted through his thoughts.

"You need my help in dominating Earth when you've already taken down Odin? You take me for a fool, Asgardian?" The demon chuckled.

"Indeed, I would take you for a fool if you rejected my offer." He stepped forward. "Earth is a small world and their defences cannot withstand my armies, but I have something far more important I have my sights set on. Join forces with me and I shall give you Midgard."

"I do not need your help, vile pest."

"But you need my help to leave this realm. As lovely as this smouldering rock is, your flames were forged to burn worlds, not to meaninglessly roar as they devour nothing." Loki's brows stitched slightly. "With my power, I can get you out of this place if you agree to give me your Fire Demon army."

"The pain of death will be sweet honey compared to my anger if you ignite it. Leave now before you awaken my wrath." A growl rippled through the monster's voice.

"So, you choose to stay here in Muspelheim? In this realm of eternal burning rock?" Loki gestured at the fires that surrounded them.

"You barter my freedom for my army? What do I gain in the end?" Surtur's frown deadened.

"Midgard, Svartalfheim, Vanaheim; any realm you wish to destroy, you will have after I use your armies."

"And how do I know I have your word?"

"… I was unsure that you'd attack me or not when I came to this realm." Loki gestured with the sceptre. "This is just completes my look." He chuckled.

The demon's eyes narrowed, the cold grey examining the intent behind the sky blue orbs. A low growl resounded within his throat, his gaze shifting as he took in his surroundings. With a raspy groan, he turned to the intruder.

"My army is yours, but should you betray me, I shall burn your bones to ashes." Surtur frowned deeply, bringing a content smile to Loki's face.

"Good."

* * *

EVEN IN the forming of an unbeatable union, failure knocked at Loki's door. With Surtur and the Fire Demons under his helm, an unforeseen obstacle arose. In the very realm he stood in came an obstruction in his quest for conquest.

* * *

Four months ago, joy and glee laced through their voices as they laughed, overjoyed by the bright colour of the ascending lanterns. Their glow interwove as the orange glow sublimely wrought into a kaleidoscope of light.

Her eyes reflected the sight, the turquoise blue glinting as pink filled her cheeks in excitement. Clasping the railing, she stood beside the snowman, his chuckle vibrating as a smile stretched his face.

"Whoa." Amazement dilated Anna's eyes.

"So beautiful …" Elsa's voice wondered.

"Wow." Olaf stretched, clinging to the guardrail.

"Isn't it pretty?" Anna nudged Kristoff.

"Yeah, stuff …" His voice trailed off, eyes fixed on the cluster.

"Why don't we do this more often in Arendelle?" Anna turned to Elsa.

"We don't." Elsa stared at the cluster.

"Well, we should." Anna turned to the sky.

An aura glistened softly, quickly sharpening into violent sparks that spread across the dark night sky. The clouds swept away as the energy gathered, surging with intensity as air rushed out. A portal fissured the expanse, widening and giving way for flames to seep through it. Several of the gateways littered the sky, fire rushing out of some as snow wafted from others.

Lights came to view, joining the cluster of lanterns in the sky and adding to the number as they gently descended. Murmurs swept through the crowds below, people looking up in confusion and bewilderment. Moving closer to the edge of the balcony, the Queen's eyes narrowed in on the lights.

"What's going on?" Confusion stitched Elsa's brows.

"Are they multiplying?" Rupunzel's eyes squinted.

"It looks like it." Eugene cocked his neck.

"Ooh, look; more snowgies." Olaf jumped, clasping to the guardrail as he pointed at the sky.

"What?" Elsa turned to the snowman.

Furrowing her brows, she turned to the sky, bewilderment enveloping her as she studied the lanterns ascending. Shooting glances at the others around her, she sifted through her thoughts, fumbling to piece the puzzle in her mind.

"Are you guys seeing this?" Elsa frowned.

"Yeah." Kristoff nodded

"Mm-hmm." Eugene turned to her.

Abruptly, the lights crashed onto a beach on the city outskirts, clouds of sand rising to the air as they landed. Shuffling their feet, the Giants and Demons trod forward, their gazes shifting around as they sought their targets. A panic spread through the kingdom, the people watching in horror as the army lined the beach.

* * *

The image of their crash came through an energy circle hovering before Loki, the events coming in as if it were a live video feed. With gritted teeth, a growl escaped Loki, a hand balancing his head as he sat on a large golden throne in Asgard's palace. Clutching to the armrests of the chair, he rose to his feet, anger stitching a frown on his face as he left the room and the energy circle disappeared.

* * *

"The first time I tell the truth and this is the thanks I get?" Loki approached the chasm before him, his feet crunching against the ashen earth.

A gust of wind swept past him, a loud crash banging behind him as the demon landed. Turning to the beast, a smirk crossed his face as he clutched to his sceptre tightly. The monster eyed him, a growl vibrating from his throat as he looked at the outsider. A giant sword lay within his grasp, its blade rusting and exuding steam as a blazing red glow radiated along its length that stretched out to more than two metres.

"What are you holding?" Loki's brow raised, amusement shifting his gaze as he looked at the weapon.

"Why do you ask such foolish questions, Asgardian?" Surtur lifted the sword, pointing its tip at him. "You enter my realm unannounced, wielding the staff of Odin and you expect me to stand unarmed?"

"For what reason did you breach our agreement? Why did the Demons go to earth?" A frown stitched Loki's face.

"I should ask why Frost Giants were found there as well." The monster began to pace around him. "In your preposition for our alliance, there was no mention that you were conspiring with my greatest of enemies."

"Allying with me is conspiring with your greatest enemy. Half Asgardian and half Juton; I assumed you already knew what you were getting into when bartering with me." He shrugged. "Though the Frost Giants are under my control, I have ways to go before they obey me, but what I ask is why you sent your Demons to Midgard when you handed them over to me. Was I wrong to assume that you have control over them?"

"Watch your mouth, your insignificant pest! My power burns beyond the skies of this realm and my armies are under the control of I, and I alone!" The demon roared. "I sent them to that meagre rock to hunt down pests that aggravate me even more than Asgard. Her blood flows through their veins and I cannot let anyone of them live to challenge my name."

"Of whom do you speak?" Loki furrowed his brow.

"Leave this world, before I choose to end our alliance and your life with it." Surtur began to walk away.

"I'm afraid I can't do that." A frown plastered Loki's face.

"You wish to burn, Asgardian?" The demon turned to him.

"You think your flames can burn the King of Asgard? I've been standing here all this time and the worst I've felt is a cool breeze." A smirk crossed Loki's face.

"What did you say, putrid filth!?" Surtur roared.

With the swing of his titanic blade, the demon attacked Loki, the force of his arm sending waves of wind crashing around him. Colliding with the staff, a shockwave spun out, fissures cracking the earth as boulders flew through the air. The resultant cloud of ash dissipated slowly, the flames of the wasteland snuffing out as gales spread across the shattered ground.

The air cleared, giving way for Surtur to set his eyes on Loki, shock enveloping him as he saw an energy field surrounding him. With a smirk on his face, he swung his staff, deflecting the blade and sending a gust of wind outward, sending rocks flying back. The demon staggered and his eyes were wide in confusion as he stood in a large crater caused by the collision.

"Let's see if you can withstand the Odin Sleep." A sly smile stretched Loki's face.

He held out the staff before the demon, energy swelling within it as he pointed it at him. A bright light exploded outward, its luminescence engulfing the plane and devouring the realm.

* * *

A THROATY groan escaped him, a hand brushing through his raven locks of hair as the dim afternoon light beat against his face as he looked out the window. The shades of white calmed him, ocean blue orbs pulsating with energy and bringing him back on track. Nothing would stand in his way and he knew it from the day he first drew breath.

The creaking of wood caught his attention, a smirk growing on his face as he laid his eyes upon his new compatriot, the human who would bring him the victory he had been longing for his whole life. Clad in a dark cloak, the man approached him, his cold grey eyes shrouded in a blackness that rivalled the pit of Muspelheim. With a deep breath, Erhard turned to Loki, his gaze narrowing in as he stood before him.

"You called me, master?" Impassivity exuded in his tone.

"Are you done toying with them? Those two women seem hardly to be worth any time if you ask me." Loki placed his hands on the windowsill, looking at the plain outside.

"An obstacle has arisen, but it is nothing you should worry about; I shall make sure they are dealt with immediately."

"Good." Loki turned to him. "I need you to find it for me."

"Might I ask why you need my help in acquiring it? Would you not be able to take it without any obstruction?"

"Unfortunately, that oaf Odin was right; Asgardians are not gods." Loki looked at his hand. "My newfound power is limited and these eyes can't see everything." He clenched his fist. "Even Heimdall cannot see everything like he claims. I need your help to get it."

"And what will you do with it?"

"You jest with me, mortal?" Loki raised his brow.

"My memory fails me." Erhard shrugged.

"The Casket of Ancient Winters is a powerful artefact that can turn a world into Jutonheim, manifesting legions of Frost Giants to plague the land."

"And you will do that to this world?" Erhard stitched his brows.

"Midgard is of no interest to me." Loki frowned. "Those Avengers foiled my plans when I attacked New York and others already have sights on this pitiful rock anyway. I have a bigger objective."

"As you wish, master, I'll retrieve the Casket for you." Erhard nodded.

With a swift turn, Erhard took his leave, stitching his brows as a ringing sound invaded his ears. Aware of Loki sifting through his thoughts like a book, he cleared his mind, donning a false state of oblivion as he left. Happy that his compatriot was not planning to betray him, Loki smirked, turning back to the window as he looked outside.

* * *

SUNLIGHT SEEPED between the leaves, its rays gracing the forest in a beautiful pattern as midday set in. The chirping of birds tickled her ears, the flora around her brightening her smile as she gazed around, eyeing her surroundings with glee. Lifting her hand, she gestured to her side as a small bird approached, its musical whistle exciting her as she motioned for it to land on her finger. Moving up to her, the creature flew away, the action reddening her face as anger stitched a frown.

"Crap, I thought all princesses could do it." Anna clenched her fist, turning to her sister. "Elsa, tell them to stop running away from me!" Her voice came out like a whine.

"Animals don't follow girls just because they're princesses." Elsa chuckled.

"Hmm, well, they follow you." Anna crossed her arms and pouted.

"No, they –," She flailed her arms around. "Will you get away from me!" Birds and squirrels that covered her like a blanket scampered off her. "Ugh!"

"See." Anna huffed, grabbing the reigns of her horse as it trod on.

"Tsk, great, they messed up my hair." Elsa ran her hand through the locks, her frown stiffening as she adjusted it.

"Oh, man." Olaf folded his arms, leaning against Elsa. "I wanted them to stay a little longer." He sighed.

"Speaking of hair, I didn't think you and Balder would hit it off so quickly." A sly smile crossed Anna's face. "How'd it happen?"

"What does that have to do with hair?" Olaf turned to her.

"Well, I don't know." Heat radiated on Elsa's face, her arms bundling together as she lowered her gaze. "I guess it just did."

"You and Balder? I didn't see that coming!" Olaf sat up. "When'd it –,"

"Yeah, let's just change the topic." Elsa covered his mouth.

"Actually, I already knew, so you've got nothing to hide." Anna smiled. "It's no big deal really; he is a lord after all." She shrugged.

"Seriously, that guy?" Olaf moved Elsa's hands from his mouth. "You could've picked anyone else other than him. I mean, you don't even like him or anything."

"It was so obvious." Anna chuckled.

"Really?" Elsa raised her brow.

"C'mon, who didn't know? The way you kept looking at him, staring when you thought no one was looking, the way you kept calling him for stuff even when you could handle it yourself." Anna chuckled. "You love him." She teased.

"No, I don't," Elsa folded her arms, turning away from her. "… okay, maybe a little." Her arms fell, a blush gracing her face.

"Hey, you two coming along or what?" Kristoff turned to them, a brow raised.

Noticing the distance between the four horses, Anna and Elsa quickened the pace, catching up with the men who approached the edge of the forest. Oblivious to his surroundings, Balder stretched the parchment further, narrowing his eyes on the map as his steed led itself onward. Lowering the paper, he looked forward, a smile crossing his face as he saw a clearing coming up.

"We'll stop here for a bit." Balder turned to the women. "It may take a day before we reach the other port to cross the sea to the Order's fortress."

"Why couldn't we just use the ports in Arendelle? Isn't this gonna take way longer?" Elsa rode up beside him.

"It would be unwise to return to Arendelle while the Order is there. If they find us, they would most likely kill us." Balder turned to her.

"They wouldn't kill us." Disbelief exuded in Anna's tone.

"How would you assume that? They kicked you out of your own kingdom!" Kristoff frowned.

"Yeah, but …" Anna sighed. "It's better than killing us off. If they didn't, we'd be dead since the Table would have our heads."

"But the people of Arendelle were gonna rip you to shreds." Surprise filled Kristoff's expression.

"I don't like the Order, but if they didn't kick us out, the other members of the Table would've probably had our heads."

Shock dilated Kristoff's eyes, his betrothed's behaviour baffling him. With all that happened, she still hoped that there was a brighter end to the travesty that just occurred. Turning to her sister, concern knitted a frown on Elsa's face as she began to worry. Her positive attitude was a good thing, but she wondered if Anna would ever come to face reality. Kristoff shook his head, turning to Balder who was ahead of him.

"Are we sure the spot in the map's even a fortress? For all we know, it could be a treasure or some bunker or something." Kristoff raised his brow.

"Or a monkey? Or a chicken? Or a monkey with the face of a chicken?" Olaf's voice boomed.

"It's a chicken with the face of a monkey and no, it's probably none of those things." Anna's eyes drooped.

"I'm pretty sure it's gonna be something wonderful!" Olaf clasped his hands together.

"It has to be something important to the Order." Balder turned to Kristoff. "If not, then we'll have made some good distance from Arendelle to ensure our safety."

The sun beat against their faces, unrestrained by the flora they quickly regretted leaving as they entered the open area. Dismounting the animals, they tied their horses to trees and took some food from their saddle satchels. Taking seats upon tree stumps, they began to eat, bread and dry meat comprising their meal.

Her attempts to mask her displeasure faltered slightly, an expression of dissatisfaction seeping on her face. Despite the princess's appreciation for the food, the unbearable dryness of it met her sharply, its low temperature worsening it.

Masking her own displeasure, Elsa focussed on the situation at hand, the reason behind her circumstance making her look over the quality of the meal. Partially due to her newfound affection for Balder, she ate the food without complaint, the decision allowing her to find some enjoyment in it.

"I won't lie, this food sucks." Balder leaned back against a tree, a frown crossing his face.

"Phew." Elsa exhaled, relief washing over as she dropped the act. Glancing at him, she saw his feigned disappointment and gave a small smile. "Not that I don't appreciate it."

"It does not matter." He shrugged. "I was not the one who got this food in the first place _and_ funds were limited for the emergency facilities due to the crisis we endured in Arendelle."

"I kinda like it though." Kristoff's voice stifled as he chewed.

"Really?" Anna raised her brow, turning to him as he shrugged in response.

"Man, you people are the worst." A husky voice met their ears, drawing their attention.

A slim, man approached them, dark brown matching in his outfit of a shirt, trousers and thick boots. A pair of hooves lay limply in his grasp, the legs of a deer hanging over his shoulder. Despite his age, the animal's weight seemed not to bother him, his locks of grey hair brushing against its coat. Tossing the carcass on the ground crassly, he sat on the ground, fishing out a bottle from his jacket and taking a sip of ale.

"Oliver!" Elsa's face brightened up, moving hastily as she embraced him.

"What'd I say about hugging me?" His eyes shut in anger, the crispness of his voice causing her to jerk back.

"Nothing?" Elsa raised her brow.

"Yeah, I was just messin' with ya. C'mere." He hugged her, patting her back as she wrapped her arms around him. "How've ya been?"

"I've been fine." She pulled away from him, a smile gracing her.

"I –," A frown stitched, eyes narrowing in on her. "Really, that guy?" He pointed at Balder. "C'mon, you can do better."

"I know right." Olaf raised his brow.

"Can we just cut it with that?" Elsa shook her head, massaging the bridge of her nose.

"Ah, don't worry." Oliver patted her shoulder. "He's a keeper." He smirked.

"Greetings, sir, I'm Kristoff Bjorgman." Kristoff shifted to get up off the tree stump.

"No need to stand." Oliver took a sip, cutting him off. "Too much work." He sat back and turned to Anna. "I take it you're Annabelle, right?"

"Yeah, but you can just call me Anna." A grin stretched her face.

"I am Lord Balder; it is a pleasure to meet you, sir." Balder nodded.

"Sure." Oliver pocketed the bottle.

"Didn't think we were so far from Arendelle already," Elsa turned to the deer carcass. "We're already this close to your cabin?"

"Didn't think I'd find ya out here again." Balder sat back, "Your kingdom's gonna be pissed if their Queen's never there."

Sorrow weighted Elsa's breath, her gaze fixing onto the grass as misery fogged her eyes. Fighting back the tears, she calmed herself, shifting her mind away from the dark skies that filled it. A question hit her as she turned to the old man, his presence offering another point of concern.

"Um, Oliver?"

"Yeah?" He turned to her.

"The first time we met, you mentioned that my powers are most likely from Frost Giants." He nodded, prompting her to continue. "Well, I had to prove it for myself, so I went to see some Trolls who live in the Valley of the Living Rock and their leader, Grand Pabbie, led me to a burnt portion of the woods which he saw after reading my part of my memory. My memory returned to me and I remembered my parents, my true parents who lived in a small village that was there and I saw you there."

A silence fell, shock rippling through the atmosphere as it dilated his eyes. As if having seen a ghost, Oliver turned his neck stiffly, a frown stitching as a realisation dawned upon him. Failing to mouth words, the old man looked at Elsa closely, studying her face as he glanced at her and Anna.

"Did you know who our parents were?" Elsa's brows stitched.

"You're … you're Gunnerius and Hjørdis's children!" Disbelief vibrated through his voice. "B… but how?"

"You knew them?" Anna leaned towards him.

"You were just children when I last saw you." He turned to her, "I couldn't recognise you at first, but it's coming back to me! You're their children!"

"Do you know what happened to them? Where are they now?" Elsa moved closer to him.

Oliver exhaled heavily, his gaze shifting to his knees as he lowered his gaze and frowned deeply. Turning to Elsa, sorrow filled his dark brown eyes, hoarseness occupying his voice as he spoke. Chuckling slightly, he looked away from her.

"I've been living in these woods for the past 17 years, trying to run away from my past; from the war and chaos. It's just a joke and it keeps coming back to me." His eyes narrowed. "Yeah, I knew 'em; Gunnerius was a good friend of mine and one of the three soldiers I told you about; one of the soldiers who fought in the Great War. Then the Order expanded and everything changed." He sighed heavily. "Because of them I have been hiding this whole time, thinking the people they'd hurt wouldn't matter to me at all and they wouldn't hunt me down 'cuz I knew your parents, but I just had to come across you two."

"Do you know where our parents are?" Anna's voice raised, her eyes welling up in worry as she approached him.

"I'm sorry." He turned to her, his breath weighted by grief. "I couldn't do anything and I only came back when it was all over. The Order of the Nine Stars killed your parents."

* * *

**As always, Follow, Favourite and Review and Await the Awesomeness as we dive deeper into the universe. Thanks for reading.**


	4. Flames of the Cellar

TEARS BRIMMED in her eyes, rage welling up as she took in the gravity of the situation. Sharing her sorrow and aggravation with her sister, agreeing with a glance, Elsa turned to the old man, anger stitching a frown on her face. Fighting the urge to cry and seizing the will to move on, she spoke.

"So, what's the Order after?"

"I don't know." Oliver lowered his head. "So far, it seems that they have a deep hatred for magical creatures, but I've never known why. At first, they attacked the dangerous ones, like dragons, but now they're attacking anyone magical regardless of what they're doing."

"Whatever it is, we can't let 'em get away with this." Anna clenched her fists. "We need to go back to Arendelle."

"We can't, Anna; they'd kill you the moment you get there." Kristoff's brows furrowed.

"Why'd they kill her?" Oliver raised his brow.

"The Order discovered Elsa and Anna's powers and they banished them from the kingdom." Balder turned to him.

"Yeah, don't go back there." Oliver shook his head.

"We're just gonna let 'em rule Arendelle? They stole it from us; we've done nothing!" Anna frowned.

"If we're gonna go back, we have to be smart about it." Kristoff folded his arms. "We can't just bust in there and try to force them out. Even if you can fight them and win, the people of Arendelle would get caught in the crossfire."

"Fighting the Order would be completely foolish." Balder sat back. "Like Kristoff said, the people of Arendelle would be set in harm's way and if the tales of their victories over dragons are true, then we would lose our lives in the process."

"We're gonna need to discredit the Order." Elsa tapped her chin. "Use the Table against them. If we can prove we're innocent and the Table agrees with us, we can use politics to free the people from the Order. They might've not attacked the people yet, but I don't trust that they are safe."

"Well, I don't know anything that could help you." Oliver fell back on the grass, staring at the sky. "I told you all I knew about 'em, so I don't know what to do next."

"Ooh, ooh, we could create a giant snowball and trap them all in it." Olaf jumped. "Just scoop 'em up and kick them outta the kingdom." Sven snorted, nodding his head in agreement.

"I may have ice powers, but making an ice ball that big would take too long and would be too heavy to plop over the kingdom." Elsa turned to him.

"Plus they'd see it coming a mile away." Anna shrugged.

"And, it's a freakin' stupid plan." Kristoff shook his head.

"As amusing as that would be, even if it were possible; the people of Arendelle would get stuck in the ice as well." Balder cocked his neck. "Unless you have a giant shovel to dig them out of it." He shrugged.

"Why are you humouring him?" Oliver shook his head.

"I just wanted to be silly." Balder smiled.

A warm smile adorned Elsa as she turned to Balder, a chuckle tugging at her as she returned her mind to focus on the situation at hand. Finishing his meal, Balder rose to his feet, moving around to pick up the small sacks that withheld the food they ate. Glancing at him, Elsa shifted her gaze to Oliver who took another sip of ale.

"Well, we'd better get going I guess." She stood up. "It was good to see you again." A smile stretched her face.

"Same here, Elsa." Oliver pocketed the bottle, "I should get on my way as well."

"It was nice meeting you, sir." Anna smiled.

"Whoa, it's you!" Disbelief dilated Olaf's eyes as he turned to him. "Oliver, when'd you get here?"

The old man raised his brow, shrugging off his utterance as he picked up the deer carcass and took his leave. Waving nonchalantly, he took off, taking a wholesome sip of his ale. Patting Olaf's head, Anna stood up, following Kristoff who headed off to Sven. Stretching her arms out, she wrapped her arms around him from behind, nestling her chin on his shoulder.

"What?" He raised his brow.

"Well, I'm just glad I've still got people I care about around me." She snuggled up to him.

"Yeah, me too." Elsa smiled at her then gave Balder a peck on the cheek.

"Hey, what about me?" Olaf pouted. Sven bit at him, nearly chomping his carrot nose. "Hey, that's not funny anymore!" He pointed at him angrily.

"So, what do we do next?" Elsa turned to Balder.

"I think we should part ways here." Balder fastened a bag attached to the saddle of his horse. "You and Anna follow the point in the map and Kristoff and I return to Arendelle to clear your names."

"No, you're not gonna risk your life for me again." Elsa frowned, folding her arms.

"It will not be the same as last time. I have a friend in the council who will ensure that we will not be discovered … assuming he has not fallen at the hands of the Order if they found that he is my friend, thereby making him a 'cohort' of yours." Balder shrugged.

"Why can't we just stick together as a team? I don't wanna see Kristoff hurt again." Anna held Kristoff's hand.

"We would do far more if we're separated than together." Balder turned to Elsa and smiled at her. "We will be fine."

"Okay." Elsa nodded.

"We cannot be sure that you will be safe and we do not want to risk proving the Order's legacy to be true." Balder fished out the map from his jacket, "So by all means, make sure that you do not fight them. You should simply investigate and return to the kingdom afterward."

"Gotcha." Elsa received the map.

Balder pulled out a pocket watch and checked the time, frowning slightly at how they had prolonged their break. Stuffing it back, he turned to his horse when something entered his peripheral. Turning to his right, he saw a sparrow flying near the trees and recognised its coat. He whistled and the creature flew toward him, landing on his forearm.

"What's that?" Olaf turned to Balder.

"It's a message from one of my spies." He unfastened a small paper tied to its leg.

"What's it say?" Kristoff walked up to him.

Balder spread the parchment, narrowing his eyes as he read the message. He frowned as he continued, a huff escaping him as he rolled up the paper. Ripping it slightly, he fastened it on the bird, sending it off in the direction it came from.

"The Order left Arendelle in the dead of night, leaving their banners and their council behind to rule in their steed." He turned to the others.

"Why would they do that?" Anna's brows stitched.

"I do not know, but our plans have to change. We will need to return to Arendelle." Balder turned to Elsa. "If the Order has left, we can simply send you off on a ship, so that you can start your journey. It would be far much quicker than finding another port far from here."

"See? That's what I said." Anna folded her arms.

"Actually I did." Elsa turned to her.

"Let's get going." Balder saddled his horse.

Mounting their animals, they took their leave, heading back to Arendelle. Fixing her gaze on her sister, worries welled within Elsa, fingers tightening around the reins of her horse in anxiety. If the legends of the Order were true and if they indeed had dragons under their helm, what hope would they have to defeat them? Even if they were able to manoeuvre them and make it to the spot on the map, what would they do after? They would have to face them head on at some point and her fears were beginning to overwhelm her.

* * *

THE RUFFLING of leaves met their ears, feet crunching against the sand as a man approached them. Stepping out from behind a tree, Balder walked up to him, Elsa, Kristoff, Anna and Olaf following quietly behind. Huffing angrily, the man pocketed his hands, his brows stitching in irritation.

"Never thought I'd want a woman back on the throne." Bjarke sighed. "Those treasonous lowlifes annoy the hell outta me."

"Seems you got the letter, good friend." Balder smirked.

"I'm not your friend."

"Sure, you're not." Balder patted his shoulder, gaining a growl from him.

"What do you have against women?" Elsa frowned.

"I don't think they should lead." Bjarke shrugged.

"I –,"

"Now, now." Balder interrupted her. "We cannot argue or someone might hear us."

"Hi, there." Olaf waved at Bjarke.

"We should move quickly." He ignored him. "Even if the Order's gone, they've still got soldiers patrolling the kingdom. You'll need these."

Bjarke gave each of them brown cloaks from a satchel strapped over his shoulder. Judging by the look Elsa shot at him, the old man huffed slightly, pocketing his hands as he shrugged off her expression. After they wore them, he looked back at the kingdom, the pier coming to view, as it was closest to them.

"You know, you're still kinda pissin' me off with the whole women can't lead kingdoms thing." Anna straightened her cloak.

"Just so we're clear, don't get the idea of kicking me off the council." Bjarke's eyes lowered. "I've got a family to take care of and it's all I got to make money."

"And what if we kick you off anyway?" Anna folded her arms, a smug smile growing on her face.

"Then you'll lose one of the two men who are actually on your side." Bjarke's expression remained impassive. "I'm not begging for anything, but you'll have hell of a hard time trying to run a kingdom without a council."

"Fine." Elsa sighed, making Anna pout.

"Keep your heads low." Bjarke began to leave.

Walking out of forest, they approached a large boat docked nearby. Boarding it along with their animals, they headed toward the pier. They came up to a small ship, its men dropping a ladder over to them as they got closer to it.

"This'll get you to Corona." Bjarke rose to his feet. "I've already sent a messenger sparrow to them, so they should be prepared for your arrival. Don't worry; the ship's crew are trustworthy men, so you will not have to hide amongst them."

"You know, I thought you were just a grumpy old man." Anna stood up.

"Just get on the boat." Bjarke's brows stitched as he pointed at the ship.

"Be sure to avoid any conflict with the Order if you come across them." Balder handed Elsa the map. "You should avoid them at all costs."

"Same to you." She kissed him and hugged him. "Be safe."

"I will." He smiled at her.

"Bye, Kristoff." Anna hugged him tightly. "Don't get hurt, okay?"

"Yeah, you too."

Kristoff and Anna walked up to the ship and he lifted her, helping her climb the rope ladder onto the ship. Scaling the ladder while piggybacking Olaf, Elsa boarded the vessel, glancing at Balder who waved at her. Moving to the opposite end of the boat, Kristoff and Balder got the Queen and Princess's horses aboard the ship.

* * *

THE SETTING sun's rays spread across the skies, glinting off Anna's hair as she waved at Rapunzel who awaited them eagerly beside her husband at a pier. Disembarking the ship, the sisters ran up to their cousin, embracing her happily. Wiping her tears of joy, Elsa pulled away from the Queen.

"Why are you crying?" Concern welled in Rapunzel's expression.

"I'm just so glad I was wrong," Elsa smiled. "I was afraid the Order would do something to you 'cuz you stood up for us."

"But, Anna's now crying as well." Eugene walked up to her.

"Elsa, what happened?" Rapunzel frowned slightly, her words drawing a tear from her.

* * *

"I'M SO sorry, Elsa." Rapunzel placed a hand on her lap.

"Yeah, well." Elsa's voice grew hoarse. "Now we know what happened to our parents."

The three women, Eugene and Olaf sat in a large office with beige walls that contrasted a large dark rug on the floor and peeked behind large bookshelves that lined them. Rising from where she sat beside her husband, Rapunzel moved up to Elsa, hugging her tightly. Eugene placed a hand on Anna's shoulder, empathy exuding in his expression.

"I'm sorry, Anna." He smiled wistfully, "I know how you feel. I never knew my true parents either."

"Thanks." Anna sighed.

"You'll be fine, Elsa." Rapunzel pulled away from her. "I'm really sorry for what happened."

"Well, we have to move on I guess." Elsa shrugged. "I just hope what we find with this map will help us get Arendelle back."

"… I wanna show you something, but you have to promise to tell no one about this." Rapunzel's voice stifled slightly with anxiety.

"Show us what?" Anna turned to her.

"…" Rapunzel frowned slightly. "Come with me."

Rapunzel headed out of the office, Eugene, Anna, Elsa and Olaf trailing her as she trod down the hall. Entering the main corridors of the palace, she took a left, leading them toward a stairwell that went downward into a dim underground hall. Following a source of light at the end, they continued on, the expanse stretching out endlessly before them. Raising her brow, Anna eyed the room, racking her brain as she tried to remember where they were going.

"Wait, we're going to the fire cellar? Haven't we been here before?" Anna walked up to Rapunzel.

"Just follow me." She fixed her eyes forward.

Shrugging it off, Anna followed her with eyes darting around the expanse, her curiosity peaking as they continued. They reached the end of the hall, finding two lamps hanging above a locked wooden door. Fishing a key out of Rapunzel's pocket, Pascal crawled up her back, resting his head on her shoulder.

"Oh, there you are, lil guy." She petted him. "Where've you been?"

The chameleon placed the key in her hand, rubbing his head against hers affectionately when he realized where they were. Shivering upon seeing the door, the creature scurried down her back, climbing into her pocket. Rubbing his head through the fabric of her jacket, she inserted the key in the door.

"Why'd he run away?" Anna pointed at her pocket.

"Yeah, he's been a lil quiet since he saw her," Rapunzel turned to her, "I guess it's some kinda territorial thing 'cuz he's been cooped up in my pocket a lot lately."

"Since he saw who?" Elsa's brows stitched.

"Olaf." Rapunzel squatted before the snowman, patting his head. "You'll have to stay out here for a bit, okay?"

"Why?" Olaf raised his brow.

"Well, the fire cellar's full of … well, fire." She chuckled. "And I don't want you to melt like last time, okay?"

"Aw, c'mon, I can handle it." Olaf whined.

"Yeah, she's right, Olaf," Anna patted his head, "You'll end up melting in there."

"It's not fair." Olaf crossed his arms.

"I'll keep watch on the lil guy." Eugene walked up to him.

"Thanks." Rapunzel turned to the door.

Turning the key, she unlocked the door, entering the next room with Anna and Elsa, the latter's eyes widening in awe. Cabinets filled the room, lining up in rows along the walls and reaching towards the ceiling. Glass bowls occupied the furniture; flames of varying colour in them creating a light pattern similar to an aurora. Breathlessly, the Ice Queen moved through the space, her eyes studying the different fires.

"Oh my God, this is the fire cellar you were talking about?" Elsa turned to Anna.

"Yeah, pretty cool, huh?" Anna smiled smugly. "You can't argue that they come from a dragon now, can you?"

"This is incredible." Elsa turned to a green flame, her eyes wide in glee.

"Speaking of which." Rapunzel placed her hand in her bodice, fumbling between her breasts.

"Uh, what're you doing?" Anna raised her brow, prompting Elsa to watch in confusion.

"Showing you the secret room." Rapunzel fished out a key, smiling smugly.

She moved toward the end of the room, leading the sisters up to a barred door. Removing the wood from the hinges of it with their assistance, Rapunzel unlocked it. They entered the next room, its emptiness and insipidity baffling Elsa and Anna as another door stood on the opposite wall. Rapunzel walked up to it, turning to her cousins with an anxious look on her face.

"Now, promise me you won't freak out, okay?"

"Sure." Elsa nodded.

"Uh, what's going on?" Shivers ran up Anna's spine. "What exactly are you showing us that needs so many secret rooms?"

"Just don't freak out." Rapunzel turned to the door.

She unlocked the door, opening it slowly as she walked in gingerly. Overwhelmed with premature fear, Anna's body seized up, her eyes wide in panic and her arms crossed over her breasts, clasping her shoulders. Helping her enter the room, Elsa pushed her, curiosity overriding the anxiety she withheld.

"Hi, Maggie." Rapunzel's voice quietened, a small smile crossing her face.

Anna's eyes bulged, barely contained in their sockets as her eyes fixed on the creature before her. Reaching the height of their shoulders, a red dragon stood before them, a streak of white spreading from its snout all the way up to its tail. Its beady grey eyes studied them, its wings curved over its body that swerved as it walked, the undercoat nearly matching the floor as its tail swept it. Looking at Rapunzel, its eyes narrowed with irritation.

"Rapunzel, you know I don't like visitors." A big, throaty feminine voice came from the creature.

Anna fainted, falling back like a rock beside her sister. Fighting for composure, Elsa frowned deeply, her mind trying to piece things together. If the dragons were indeed extinct, why was there one standing before her? Why could it talk? Studying the beast, she noticed something that put her thoughts at ease slightly. Taking a deep breath, she struggled to avoid fainting like her sister and spoke.

"T-t-t-that's not a dragon." Her voice shook slightly. "Dragons are extinct."

"I assure you, I am a dragon, but alas, I'm not like the others." Maggie's head lowered, her eyes trailing her body in dismay. "I'm a darf dragon, less than half the height I'm supposed to be."

"... H –," Elsa calmed herself. "How is it talking? Aren't dragons animals?"

"We are animals, but we're not mindless. Maggie snarled. "We are intelligent creatures … at least some of us are..."

"How is she here? I thought the Order killed them all?" Elsa turned to Rapunzel.

"It was around a year ago when I found her." Rapunzel walked up to the dragon. "My parents and I were taking a walk in the outskirts of the kingdom when we came across the Order fighting two dragons. We tried to escape, but we got separated and I wound up finding her egg." She petted the dragon. "I came back that day and heard that my parents were found dead in the forest. I've been keeping her a secret ever since 'cuz the Order would kill her."

"So, that's what happened to your parents." Elsa stroked her chin. "Is it possible your parents fell at their hands?"

"No," Rapunzel shook her head. "We were caught in the crossfire of the fight between them and the dragons, so my parents most likely died by accident."

"This means that there're other dragons out there." Elsa frowned slightly.

"How would there be? Even if there were others like Maggie under someone else's care, they'd be two at the most." Rapunzel walked up to her. "The Order wiped them out."

"No, they didn't. One of Balder's spies overheard Erhard talk to his men about their dragons and one of the council members sent a message stating that the Order's on the move, which means Arendelle has no leader, just a bunch of rebelling council members and a few of their soldiers."

"Well, if you wanna get there, you'd better get moving right now." Rapunzel turned to her. "Eugene and I'll give you some clothes, money and a ship, so you can follow the map. You need to go right now."

"Thanks." Elsa nodded. "We can never repay you."

"Heh, that's what family's for." Rapunzel smiled at her, shrugging.

* * *

HOOVES SPLATTERED the mud as black horses trod through the woods, the grey clouds massing above them as a storm slowly approached. Erhard tugged at the reins of his steed, urging it to stop as he gestured for a sparrow to land on his arm. Untying a piece of paper from the bird's leg, he spread it out and read it. He rolled the parchment back up, strapped it to the creature and sent it off.

"What does the message say, my lord?" His second-in-command rode up to him.

"Queen Elsa and Princess Anna are on their way to Corona." A frown crossed his face. "Send a team after them; we cannot waste such an opportunity."

"Yes, my lord."

Erhard's second-in-command relayed the message to the soldiers who accompanied him. Continuing the journey, Erhard directed his horse to keep walking, fixing his thoughts on the task at hand. As much of a threat the sisters would be, he had more important things on his mind.

* * *

**As always, Follow, Favourite and Review and Await the Awesomeness as we dive deeper into the universe. Thanks for reading.**


	5. Fallen of Muspelheim

THE COLD winds bit at them as the waters crashed against the ship. Tugging at her cloak, Elsa huddled up to her sister who shivered slightly on the bench they sat on in the middle of the ship's upper deck. Though the skies greyed, all that came were strong winds that rocked the vessel. Comparing which would be better between a storm and the cold, Anna hugged her sister, gaining a surprisingly large amount of warmth.

"You're weird, Elsa, you know that?" Anna's eyes shut as she got comfortable.

"What do you mean?" Elsa raised her brow.

"You have ice powers, yet you feel so warm sometimes." Anna yawned. "I could just sleep on you."

"Well, don't; I don't wanna have to drag you around." Elsa chuckled.

"Come on." Anna whined. "I can't just nap a little?"

"Sorry, but my breasts aren't a pillow." Elsa pulled her closer.

"Then why are you pulling me closer?" Anna's voice trailed off.

"'Cuz you looked cold."

"Look who's talking …" Anna nodded off.

"Hey, wake up." Elsa shook her.

"Wake me after school …" Anna slurred.

"Anna." Elsa shook her again.

Anna was asleep, drool trailing down her chin as her head fell back lazily. Laying her on the bench, Elsa sat back, leaning against the armrest. Chuckling, she turned back to her sister and watched her sleep, the expression she had bringing a warm smile to her face.

"Hug me." Anna stretched her arms out to Elsa, still lying on her side with eyes shut.

"No, Anna."

"C'mon, I'm feeling cold." Anna whined.

"It's not happening, Anna." Elsa turned away from her. "How're you still cold with a change of clothes anyway?"

"I dunno." Anna huffed. "I mean, I like 'em and all, but these pants are so itchy and they aren't that warm either."

"Well, we had to change if we wanted to go on this journey." Elsa chuckled. "Doubt I could run around in a dress."

"You're so cute." Anna slurred.

"Flattering me won't change my mind; I'm not hugging you."

"I love you?" Anna opened an eye.

"Not gonna change my mind, Anna." Elsa watched the cascading waves to her left.

"You're so pretty." Anna's voice deepened as she cooed. "With your white hair." She chuckled. "Come on, hug me."

"Anna, you have fire powers, warm yourself up." Elsa turned to her.

"It doesn't work the same way." Anna sat up and stretched her arms to her. "Come on, warm me up."

"Anna, no." Elsa enunciated. "You're not gonna sleep on me."

"Fine." Anna folded her arms, leaning against the bench. "I miss Kristoff." She sighed. "I'm sure he'd hug me."

"Well, I'm not gonna be your pillow, okay?" Elsa frowned slightly and sat back.

"It's not fair." Anna pouted.

"I kinda feel bad that we left Olaf behind." Elsa balanced her chin in a cupped hand.

"Well, he's much safer in Corona." Anna rested her head on Elsa's shoulder. "Hug me." She looked at her pleadingly.

"Anna, no." Elsa pushed her back.

"She's quite the playful one, isn't she?" A man's voice came.

The sisters turned to see a man standing beside Elsa, a sly smile on his face darkened under the hood he wore. Taking a seat on an opposite bench that leaned against the guardrail of the ship, the man clasped his hands. Fighting off the cold, he rubbed them together and blew into them, his eyes darting between the two women.

"I'm Arian." He offered a hand.

"Queen Elsa." Elsa shook his hand.

"And I take it you're Princess Anna?" He offered his hand to her.

"Yeah." She shook it. "I guess."

"It's good to meet you." Arian smiled. "I work with the ship's crew."

"How long till we arrive?" Elsa crossed her leg.

"In a few hours or so." Arian sat back. "What is that place? In all my months at sea, I've never been there."

"It's personal." Elsa's brow stitched involuntarily.

"Well, I'm pretty sure you haven't been around long enough since you're new." Anna smiled.

"None of the other men have been there either." He tapped his chin. "Well, I assume they've never been all over the world either." He shrugged and turned to Elsa. "So, you and your beautiful sister are on royal business?"

"I –," Anna interrupted Elsa.

"I'm married, so don't hit on me."

"Well, not yet." Elsa shrugged.

"C'mon, you can't see he's trying to flirt with me?" Anna stifled her voice behind gritted teeth.

"Leave them be, Arian." A man walked up to him and turned to the sisters. "We've arrived on the island."

"Awesome." Anna rose to her feet. "Let's get going."

* * *

WOOD CREAKED as horses disembarked the ship, walking across a plank onto shore. Anna stopped her stead as the others moved on, taking in their surroundings. A thick forest occupied the island, its leaves seeming to reach to clouds from her perspective. Nudging her steed, she followed Elsa who rode along with four men.

"You shouldn't have come." Elsa turned to a man to her left.

"It is my duty, Queen Elsa." Torgeir nodded. "I have orders from my Queen to assist you on your journey and ensure that no harm comes your way."

"Yeah, but I'm sure I can take care of myself."

"She just wanted to help however she could."

"Well, thank you anyway." Elsa smiled at him.

Anna rode up to Elsa, her eyes latching to the sky as she took in her surroundings. Sunlight beamed dimly through the grey skies, its inconsistency casting patterns on their path. Looking at the trees on either side of the pathway, she rubbed her hands together, blowing on them for warmth.

"How am I still so cold?" Anna rubbed her shoulders.

"Well, it's pretty chilly." Elsa turned to her. "Maybe you should put more clothes on."

"I could assist you." Normund rode up to her. "Which of these would you like?" He fished out two jackets, offering them to her.

"This one." She picked up a jacket and put it on. "Thanks."

"You're welcome, my lady." Normund put the remaining jacket in his saddle satchel. "You should keep yourself warm." He held the reins of his horse. "Rainy weather is fast approaching."

"Speaking of which, what path must we take?" Torgeir turned to Elsa. "We have been taking a random route so far and you retrieved the map from Captain Froder."

"Heh, the thing is that we don't know what to look for exactly." She rubbed the back of her head. "We were just gonna follow this map and see what we could find here."

"Forgive me, but that is exceedingly reckless." Normund rode up to her. "You could get yourself hurt wondering around without direction."

"Nonetheless, we shall accompany you on your journey." Torgeir smirked. "We are skilled fighters, so you'll be safe with us."

"Well, thank you again." Elsa smiled slightly.

"Hug me." Anna stretched her arms to her.

"Anna, we're on different horses. If you wanted to hug me so bad, you should've just shared a horse with me."

"But I didn't want to leave Buttercup alone." She stroked the mare's mane.

"And I told you that I don't want you to fall asleep 'cuz I'll have to drag you around."

"But I'm cold." Anna moved up to her. "C'mon."

"No, Anna." Elsa tossed a snowball at her, chuckling.

"That's not funny." Anna dusted herself off.

"I can warm you up." Arian rode up to her.

"No." Anna rode away from him.

"Arian, she is royalty; she cannot associate with peasants like you." Froder turned to him.

"No, it's not that –," Arian interrupted Anna.

"No matter, we can work it out. Such small things shouldn't stop me from feeling you." He smiled slyly.

"Hey, I told you, I'm married!" Anna backed away.

"Not yet, Anna." Elsa turned to her.

"Heh, even she agrees with me." Arian lowered his eyelids.

"I'm gonna get you for this, Elsa!" A frown crossed Anna's face.

"Sorry." Elsa laughed uneasily.

"Come on, you sexy thing." Arian moved up to Anna.

"I'm warning you." She raised her hand, a fire forming in her palm.

"Ooh, yeah, you're gonna really make it hot, aren't you?" Arian smirked.

"Leave me alone." Anna rode away from him.

"It's gonna be steamy." Arian followed her.

"Grr." Anna frowned and steam exuded from her skin then started to chuckle. "Heh, I get it."

"Yeah." Arian laughed.

Anna threw a punch at him and he ducked, her fist missing him barely. Humoured by their antics, Elsa rode up to them and watched, keeping some distance to avoid interfering. Shaking his head, Froder rode on, ignoring them and continuing down the path.

"Telekinetic honk-honk." Arian gestured to Anna, wiggling his fingers at her.

"What're you doing?" Anna raised her brow.

"Oh, maybe I should've just grabbed your boobs instead." Arian stroked his chin. "I forgot I don't have powers like you do."

"Leave me alone!" Anna rode away from him, past Elsa who chuckled.

"Come on, baby!" Arian followed her.

"That's enough, Arian." Froder frowned. "We must focus on our search."

"We should find a place to make a camp." Normund checked his pocket watch. "It is getting late."

"Nonsense, Normund." Froder turned to him. "We shall only retire when night falls."

"Yes, but I am not comfortable with this forest." Normund's eyes darted around. "Something feels wrong about it."

"Relax, my friend." Torgeir tapped the hilt of a sword sheathed at his side. "No man or beast can be a threat to us."

"I still feel something … _odd_ around here." Normund tightened his grip on his horse's reins. "Like we're being watched."

"Of course we are; we're in a forest." Arian gestured to the trees. "There're animals around watching us from the trees. They are probably shivering knowing that I am here."

"You cannot even hold down your ale, Arian." Torgeir turned to him with a chuckle. "How can you hope to put up a fight on your own? You're helpless without us."

"You wanna start with me?" Arian frowned.

"Be my guest." Torgeir shrugged. "I haven't beaten someone up in days."

"Now, now, let's not go around fighting." Anna raised her hands with unease.

"Behave yourselves." Froder frowned. "There are ladies present."

"And what does that mean?" Anna raised her brow.

"It means that we should be respectful and not behave like children around you." Froder turned to her.

"Exactly." Elsa nodded. "Stop fighting."

"Fine." Arian groaned.

A rustling in the bushes met their ears, drawing their attention to their right as they heard a low growl. Torgeir gripped the hilt of his sword, his eyes narrowing on the spot as he prepared himself. Frowning slightly, Anna moved toward the bush, her curiosity peaking as she approached it.

"Stop, my lady." Torgeir rode up to her.

"Is the point not to back away from danger?" Normund furrowed his brow.

"Sorry, I was just curious." Anna chuckled.

"Anna, get away from there." Elsa rode up to her.

The shuffling increased, the heavy padding of feet drawing closer as the bushes parted and the snapping of twigs met their ears. Stepping into the light, a lion growled at them, causing their horses to neigh in panic. Coming fully into view, two large red wings spread out from its back as it roared, reverberating through the forest and instilling a panic as Anna screamed and the steeds backtracked.

"What is that?!" Normund unsheathed his sword.

"Some kinda monster." Arian drew a sword sheathed on his back.

"Whatever it is, I don't think it's friendly." Elsa raised her hand, creating an icicle that floated in the air.

"Keep your guard up." Torgeir pulled out his sword.

The griffin stalked toward them, its eyes narrowing as it proceeded, fangs flaring at them. Setting its gaze on Elsa and Anna, the creature shuddered and backtracked; fear enveloping it and exuding in its expression. Snarling at them, the beast ran away, entering deeper into the forest as it made its way through the bushes.

"Whoa." Anna's eyes dilated in confusion.

"Heh, told ya they were scared of me." Arian sheathed his sword then rode up to her. "Want me to show you what else my sword can penetrate?" He smirked.

"What're you talking about?" Anna rode away from him. "And I told you to leave me alone!"

"What was that creature?" Elsa looked around.

"I do not know, but as I said, we need to be careful about this place." Normund rode up to her. "This forest is unnatural."

"Why'd it run away?" Anna turned to Elsa.

"It looked afraid." Torgeir rode toward the bush the griffin came from.

"Yes, of me." Arian smirked.

"No, it was something else." Froder rode up to Torgeir and turned to Elsa. "It looked like it was afraid of you two."

"What? I'm not scary." Anna folded her arms, pouting.

"It was afraid you'd burn it with your hotness." Arian gave her a sly grin.

"Okay, stop it, it's not funny anymore." Elsa's eyes drooped.

"We can't stay here forever." Froder lead his steed onward. "Let's get going before more of those things find us."

"We should just leave! Who knows what else we might come across?" Normund frowned.

"We are under strict orders to assist them on their journey." Torgeir rode up to him.

"To hell with the orders, I'm leaving." Normund led his horse back down the path.

"You're just a coward, Normund." Arian chuckled.

"At least I'll be a coward who will be alive." Normund continued. "This forest isn't natural at all."

"Normund, do you know what you're getting yourself into by disobeying a direct order from the Queen?" Froder turned to him.

"I do not care." Normund left.

"Fine." Froder sighed, shaking his head. "Let's keep moving."

Continuing down the path, they followed Froder, their gazes shifting around as they took in their surroundings. Sticking close to her sister, Anna replayed what happened in her head, pondering on what Froder said. As she tugged to the reins, Elsa took the possibility into account, concentration stitching her brows. Surely they were not human, so maybe the animal was indeed afraid of them, but that was not her main concern.

Since the Fire Demon and Frost Giant attack and her discovery of Rapunzel's dragon, it was very evident that creatures from myth were real. What puzzled her was the fact that the legends of the Order always pointed toward their conquests to kill magical creatures. If they were still alive and the island they were on had more of such animals, were those tales true to begin with? Did the Order even kill the dragons? If they did not, where were they this whole time? How were the people ever fooled for nearly a century?

"Don't worry about it, Elsa." Anna's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Huh?" She turned to her.

"Don't worry, we'll be fine." Anna smiled at her.

"Yeah, I hope." Her voice vibrated slightly as she snapped out of it.

Leaving the forest, the group stood on a small cliff, looking over a large valley, the vast grey skies giving way to sunlight that shone over them. A stream ran over one side of the plane in an arc, glinting off the sun's rays and beautifying the valley's lush flora. With eyes wide in awe, they took in their surroundings, Anna's hands tightening around the reins of her horse.

Mermaids swam through the depths of the water, their streamlined bodies gleaming in the bright light as they dove in and out of the stream. Fauns manoeuvred through the woods, their eyes darting around as they sought out prey, aiming their arrows at deer nearby. Fairies flew through the air, glittering dust of their wings peppering over the ground they moved over.

A drove of Unicorns galloped in the distance, raising a cloud of dust as they crossed the expanse. Humanoid, tree-like creatures walked through the field, their hollow eyes narrowing in on the gremlins that snuck through the grass nearby. Streaks of fire shot through the skies, the contour of the avian creatures coming to view as they shone in a brilliant light.

"I cannot believe this is actually real." Froder lowered his head. "I thought magical creatures were extinct."

"Well, these creatures probably migrated here." Arian shrugged. "The Order can't eradicate them from the whole world."

"At least it seems that they are afraid of humans." Torgeir directed his horse to walk on. "I just hope it does not change when we set up camp."

"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!" Anna shook her hands, bouncing atop her horse in excitement.

"Yeah." Arian stroked his chin as he watched her body move.

"Whoa, this is amazing!" Anna gasped with eyes wide in glee. "I can't believe it! Oh my God, Olaf would've loved this!" She bit her lip, holding her cheeks as bright pink coursed through her face.

"Oh, you think that's magical? I'll show ya something magical." Arian smirked. "Huh, huh, huh, huh?" He pointed at her repeatedly.

"C'mon, give it a rest, dude." Elsa's eyes drooped.

"Elsa, are you seeing this?" Anna tugged at her arm, oblivious to Arian. "You seeing this? Are you seeing this!? Are you seeing this?!"

"Anna, I'm looking at it." She chuckled then turned to the field. "It is amazing."

"You know, it'd be cool if this valley was enchanted." Arian rode forward, a smirk on his face.

"Why?" Torgeir raised his brow, riding up to him.

"If it was, I bet ya there'd be some kinda spell that gives chicks an extra cup." Arian tapped his fingers together maniacally.

"What do you mean?" Torgeir frowned slightly.

"Well, duh, if the chick's an 'A', they're gonna become 'B's, if they're 'B's, they're gonna become 'C –," Torgeir slapped his head, interrupting him. "Hey! What was that for?"

"Enough of your foolishness." Torgeir turned to the field before them. "We do not know if these creatures are friendly, so we'd better find a place to camp at nightfall and be far away from all of them."

"We'll just take shifts and keep watch." Arian pointed at himself. "I can take 'em all out myself."

"Do not be cocky, Arian." Froder turned to him. "It will be your downfall."

"C'mon, look at 'em." Arian gestured to some deer in the woods. "They won't be able to attack us at all. They're a bunch a –,"

A loud thud echoed through the forest, the rustling of leaves meeting their ears, drawing them to look around in confusion. A silence fell, the creatures and humans seizing up in attention, eyes darting around tensely. Reaching for their weapons, the group looked around, panic instilling in them as they waited anxiously. A low rumbling came, its reverberation spreading through the valley.

The fairies ducked into the trees, shutting off their magical glow as they shrouded themselves in darkness. The gremlins dove into the earth, burrowing underground to hide. The Ents ran off along with the Fauns and Unicorns, entering the forest surrounding the valley.

A large tree fell over behind the group, its wood creaking and leaves rustling as it crashed on the ground. A deer backed away from it, the smell of smoke permeating in the atmosphere. A fire spread along the stomp of the tree, streaking across its bark and up to its leaves.

"What's going on?" Fear dilated Anna's eyes, the light of flames reflecting off her face.

Another tree fell over, slamming on a small bush, dispersing a flock of birds that flew off in a panic. A monstrous roar echoed across the valley, leaves shaking as the resultant wind swept throughout. Loud tremors resounded, the ground shuddering as they grew louder with every repetition. Struggling to control her frightened horse, Anna got closer to Elsa whose eyes widened in shock.

"Ha, bet those vibrations are turning you on, huh?" Arian smirked at Anna who punched him in the nose.

"Will you shut up?" She frowned at him.

The quaking continued, its repetition coming off as loud footsteps slowly approached them. A large reptilian foot slammed against the earth, the crackling of fire meshing with deep throaty growling. His glowing white eyes narrowed behind the flames that seeped from the pours of his skin. His large muscular torso cast a shadow on the plane, his legs moving slowly as he approached the group. A large tail swept the ground, growing from his horse-like lower body that grew out of his humanoid torso's rear.

Clutching to a giant sword, the beast breathed heavily, fire spewing from his mouth and spreading across his large tusks that bent backward, curving behind around the sides of his face like horns. He clenched his fist, releasing a loud roar that reverberated throughout the forest, fire swirling out of him like a shockwave, burning trees in its path.

"Run!" Froder turned his horse.

"Way ahead of you!" Arian's voice came from the distance as his horse galloped alongside Anna and Elsa's.

The group made their retreat, manoeuvring through the forest with the other creatures that slowly formed a stampede. Turning back to the monster, Anna kicked the sides of her horse, making it run faster. Elsa rode up to her, whipping down the reins of her steed to speed it up.

Moving slowly, the beast followed them, its flames setting nearby plants on fire. With a swift move, he lifted the sword and slammed it on the ground, cracking it in half and sending a fissure out that caught up to the group. The earth broke apart, knocking some horses off their feet, flinging them through the air.

Torgeir jumped off his horse and flipped sideways, landing on a bush nearby. Froder's steed fell on its side, his leg crushed underneath the weight of it as it grazed against the ground. Screaming in agony, he pushed himself up, tugging at his trouser, desperately trying to free himself from his animal's heavy body. Hearing his bones break, he fell back, gritting his teeth as he slammed his fist against the earth helplessly.

Arian fell of his horse as it toppled over, slamming on the ground and rolling to his feet. Clutching his shoulder in pain, he looked forward, seeing the sisters still running ahead of him. He sprinted back to Froder, whose horse had fled, leaving him grovelling on the ground. He helped him up, tugging at his side to help keep pressure off the broken leg.

"Don't worry, we'll find a way outta here." Arian helped him walk.

"What about the sisters?" Froder panted.

"They're still running ahead of us."

"Good." He groaned. "We need to get out of here quickly."

Anna ducked underneath an oncoming branch, tightening her grip on the reins as her horse as it jumped over a rock. Turning back, she saw Arian helping Froder walk, her eyes dilating in worry as the beast slowly approached them. She shifted her horse and made it gallop toward them, drawing Elsa's attention.

"Anna!" Elsa followed her. "Anna, we need to go!"

"We can't just -,"

The monster stomped on Arian and Froder, their blood splattering out as their bodies were crushed underneath his large food. A bloodcurdling scream escaped Anna, her horse neighing wildly as it ran away, taking control from her. The demon turned to her, steam rising from the ground as the men's blood evaporated and their corpses burnt to ash.

Watching the women run away, the beast held his sword with both hands, moving his arms to his right as he went into a stance. The monster lunged into the air, its massive form shooting over trees, casting a shadow downward. Anna raised her eyes to the sky, darkness coming to view as the demon's form moved overhead, her face whitened by shock. The beast landed before their horses, the resultant wave sending them and the animals airborne.

The monster stood up, his height equating to trees as he watched them fall. Elsa flung off her horse, hurling right through a tree, cutting it in half and slamming onto another one behind it. Anna crashed on the ground, her head grazing against the dirt as her body bounced off it, sending her falling onto a rock.

Elsa slid down the tree, her head falling limply before her as she plopped on the grass. Raising her eyes slowly, she breathed heavily, pain washing over her body as a ringing invading her ears. She struggled to stand, soreness weighing on her as she pushed herself up to her feet. Catching herself from falling, she wiped her chin, seeing blood streaking across her hand.

Anna struggled to get on all fours; her mare's panicking squeals meeting her ears as her body shivered in searing pain. Clenching her fists and gathering dirt, she forced herself to stand, ignoring the agony that engulfed her. Setting her eyes on the monster, she breathed heavily, trying to think of what to do next.

The beast swung his sword down, breaking apart rocks as his brute strength sent a fissure toward her. Leaping out of the way, she looked behind her, seeing the forming trench go toward Normund who rode toward them. Her eyes widened in horror as she realized that he had no way of escaping it.

His horse's foot stuck between the crack, its bone breaking as it fell over, sending him hurling to the ground. Bouncing as he rolled, he grazed his skin against the earth, bruising it terribly as he crashed. Grovelling in pain, he turned to his side, seeing his steed's large body flinging toward him.

"Normu –," Anna closed her as eyes as his horse fell on him.

The beast swung his blade sideways, aiming for Anna's head and she jumped back, nearly getting caught at the sword's tip. Elsa leapt out of the forest, weaving snow around her waist to propel herself toward the monster whose eyes dilated upon seeing it. Moving back, the demon swung at her, missing by a few inches as she swerved around the weapon.

Coating her arm in ice, she punched the monster's chest, causing it to stumble back slightly. Growling, the beast spat fire at her, the flames singing her trousers and nearly burning her legs. Flying higher, she thrust her palm at it, sending a jet of ice at the beast's head. The ice melted upon reaching him, the fire on his body turning the attack into a puff of steam.

The beast swung his blade at Elsa, nearly cutting her and slammed it on the ground, sending up a line of rocks toward Anna who jumped into the air. Spinning around, she shot a fist at him, directing a tube of fire toward him. The attack seeped into his skin, amusing the demon as he chuckled. He burst into laughter, confusing Elsa who hovered backward, creating distance between them.

"Hybrids of humans, Frost Giants and Fire Demons? Is this the chaos that is happening in Muspelheim since Surtur cast me out?" A loud, throaty voice came from the monster. "I knew I should've been the ruler of that realm if this is what he is allowing to happen."

Elsa's brows furrowed, her thoughts racing as she and her sister played back what he said. The Fire Demons and Frost Giants that attacked Corona declared that they were their queens and when Oliver trained her to control her powers; he said that they had their abilities. Now this monster told them they were hybrids. What did this all mean? Clenching her fists, she shook her head, rejecting the revelation as she held on to her humanity.

"No matter." He stepped forward, his frown deepening. "I, Berial, the conqueror of the Fire Hel cannot be defeated by counterfeit Frost Giants and lowly Fire Demons. I will take Muspelheim and neither you nor Surtur will stop me!"

Turning the sword upside down, Berial swung it upward, lifting rocks with it and sending a sharp gust of wind toward Elsa who dived toward a tree, desperately avoiding the speedy attack. Anna jumped out of the way, watching the gale slice through a tree like butter, sending splinters flying around. Growling angrily, the beast set his eyes on Anna, frowning deeply.

A pillar of lava exploded from the ground beneath Anna, engulfing her body in it and incinerating her clothes. She screamed in agony, the heat washing over her as it shot up above the trees, sending droplets on the flora around. Subsiding, the lava receded into the earth, leaving her scorched body to collapse limply on the ground.

"Anna!" Elsa turned to her.

"Your feeble human body makes you weak." Berial stepped forward. "You cannot even withstand heat equating to a cool breeze, yet you fall so easily. Pathetic."

Elsa walked toward her sister slowly, her eyes dilating in horror as she watched steam exude from her body. Disbelieving what was before her, she fell to her knees, looking at her again to try and dispel her thoughts. Gritting her teeth, she clenched her fists, rising to her feet as anger washed over her.

"Come, insect." Berial turned to her. "Come and die like your compatriot."

Elsa flew toward him without the aid of snow, jetting through the air at great speed and threw a punch at him, colliding with his sword. She made him stumble, coating her fist in a sheet of ice as she hit his weapon again. He shook her off, sending her plummeting to the earth like a fly.

Catching herself in mid-air, she shot toward him, carrying a strip of hardening snow with her, creating an arc in the air. Reaching his head, she whipped her arm down, striking his shoulder with the ice, making him stagger slightly. Clutching to the frozen whip, she swung it at him, wrapping it around his sword.

She tugged at it, trying to pull him toward her futilely as he chuckled. He drew his sword back, catapulting her toward him as she coated her legs in ice. Flipping over, she landed a double-legged kick on his face, making him stumble back.

She landed on the ground, placing her hands against the grass to launch herself back as he swung at her. She jumped toward a tree, flipping over as she used it as a springboard, shooting herself toward him. Lifting her arms up, she forged a boulder of ice, sending it crashing towards him.

He blocked it with his forearm, shattering it to pieces as he shoved his sword toward her. Spinning in mid-air, she dodged the weapon, its sharp edge nearly cutting her stomach as she flew toward him. She punched him, diving toward the forest as she lost her balance.

He turned to her, growling and summoning a pillar of lava out of the ground that engulfed her. The stream splattered, a ball of ice flying out of it as she shot toward him within the shell, creating a shockwave in the air as she sped up to him. She smashed against his chest, shattering the ice and causing herself to fall to the ground as he stumbled.

He roared, stabbing toward her with great force, creating a rush of wind as he attacked. She bent back, dodging the sword as it cleaved a tree behind her, knocking it over and sending her flying as the resultant gale blew her away. She crashed on the ground, bouncing off it as she hurled through the air.

She collapsed on the grass, scrambling to stand up as her vision blurred. Red filled her view, the realization dawning on her as she began to panic. A cut ran down her face, sending down profuse steams of crimson that sank into her eyes.

She fumbled around, flailing her arms as she tried to stand. Pain shrouded her thoughts as she panicked, the blood drenching her jacket as she panted. Heaviness blanketed her as she fell back, the sounds of the monster's feet coming closer to her muffling as darkness filled her view.

The earth rumbled, causing Berial to step back as a column of fire exploded out, separating him and Elsa. Anna shot through the trees, soaring without the aid of fire, scooping her sister in her arms and flew past him. The demon turned to them, growling as he saw them escape.

* * *

SHE GASPED, shooting up as she breathed heavily, touching her arms as she looked around frantically. A warm smile met her, calming her as she saw her sister seated beside her near a rock. Running her fingers through her hair, she felt even skin, realizing that her wound was gone.

"Wha ..." Elsa panted. "What happened?"

"I managed to get us away in time." Anna smiled at her. "I thought you were dead, but luckily you managed to heal quickly."

"Phew." She sat back, breathing heavily as she lay back.

The sounds of water enveloped her ears as light shone from her left. She turned, seeing a waterfall crashing down at the mouth of the cave they were in. Looking at her sister, she calmed down, realizing she was safe. She raised her brow, noticing that Anna was clad in a red ¾ sleeveless jacket with black pearls along its embroidered trim, orange gloves that covered her forearms and burgundy trousers that wrapped dark boots.

"Oh, and I learnt how to make clothes outta fire." Anna stretched her arms. "You like?"

"How'd you get us here?" Elsa sat up.

"I came to a little after that Fire Demon hit me and I just grabbed you and flew away as fast as I could." She looked at her hands. "I couldn't believe how quickly I did it or that I can actually fly now." She clenched and unclenched them then sighed. "I can't believe he killed all of them like that. It was as if they were just ants to him."

Anna's eyes lowered in grief, her heart weighting with worry as she sifted through her mind. The burnt bodies of the Duke and Duchess of Weselton came to mind, their bloodcurdling screams echoing in her thoughts. The smell of the corpses hit her as if they were smouldering right in front of her.

"How many people are gonna die 'cuz of us?" She frowned. "The Demons and Giants attacked Corona because they were hunting us and I killed the monarchs of the Table."

"You didn't do it; it's not your fault, Anna." Elsa placed a hand on her shoulder. "It hurts me too 'cuz I accidentally killed people when I froze over Arendelle. We can't change what happened, but we can make it right if we make it back home and get rid of the Order, okay?"

"Yeah, I guess." Anna sighed. "If that thing doesn't find us on the way."

"What's that?" Elsa pointed behind Anna.

"Oh, yeah." She turned to where she pointed then back at her. "I heard this whisper in the woods and I followed it to this cave."

Anna turned to her left, picking up a small chest and handed it to Elsa. A blue aura swept around it and illuminated the room softly. Frowning slightly, Elsa set it on her lap, picking a piece of rolled up paper attached to it.

"I found this." Anna looked at the chest. "I tried reading it, but it's too confusing." She grinned. "I bet you could read it. It must be some other language other than Norse or English and I don't read much, so." She shrugged. "Maybe you can."

"I can't read this either." Elsa looked at the paper. "But." She rolled it up. "I dunno, but ... I feel like it's from our parents."

"That's what I thought. What should we do?" Anna looked at the paper.

"I'm not sure." Elsa frowned, pocketing the parchment.

She looked at the chest again, surprise dilating her eyes as she picked it up. She flipped open a small latch at the top of it, revealing a compass nestled within it. Sharing a look with her sister, she turned back to it, its direction increasing their interest.

"Should we follow it?" Anna turned to her.

"Right now, it's the only lead we've got." Elsa rose to her feet. "C'mon, let's go find our parents."

* * *

**As always, Follow, Favourite and Review and Await the Awesomeness as we dive deeper into the universe. Thanks for reading.**


	6. Seat of Vipers

DIM LIGHT seeped through the curtain as his eyes narrowed on the streets outside. Huffing in relief, he sat back on his creaking chair, turning to Balder, Kristoff and Ben who sat around the table. Clearing his throat, he leaned forward, distracting his mind from the irritation of the unwanted visit and focused on the situation at hand.

"So, what's the plan now?" Bjarke frowned, raising his hands before him in a balled fist.

"I know that someone in the council works for the Order and we need to find out who it is." Balder sat back.

"That makes no sense," Bjarke chuckled. "You think they'd have someone in their ranks who's not even allowed to attend the Table?"

"You know that Princess Anna was accused of killing the former monarchs of the Table, right?" Balder turned to him.

"Yeah, I'm not buying that she'd up and do that." Bjarke sat back, "She may've been a pathetic queen, but she was too nice to be a murderer."

"Exactly and I found that someone spiked her drink with Silver Leaf the night before their bodies were found." Balder leaned on the table.

"Well, did you find out who put it in her drink?" Bjarke cocked his neck.

"Unfortunately, I did not." Balder sat back. "What makes this more confusing is that I had my men keep watch on Anna day and night and she was not approached by anyone suspicious."

"Doesn't Silver Leaf leave someone susceptible to hypnotic suggestion? If that's the case, then we should rule it out entirely." Ben lifted up a piece of parchment, dipping a quill in a bowl of ink.

"What're you doing? We agreed that we would not write anything down." Balder turned to him.

"Oh, sorry." Ben ripped the paper in half and breathed in. "I forgot."

"I don't think we should rule out Silver Leaf just yet." Kristoff turned to Balder.

"Why?" Bjarke frowned.

"I dunno, it's just that I think it's still an important clue." Kristoff folded his arms. "The Order's definitely behind it, I mean, it was the murder of the monarchs that allowed them to kick Elsa and Anna off the Table."

"They could've easily kicked them off before the _accident_ that took the lives of the monarchs." Ben turned to him.

"You don't believe the monarchs were killed?" Bjarke raised his brow.

"You and I both disbelieve Anna was responsible and I don't think they were murdered either," Ben shut his eyes and sat back, "It's the only reasonable explanation. I mean, even if they were murdered, who could've done it? We've already ruled out Anna, so who would've done it?"

"Finding out who put the Silver Leaf in Anna's drink is the key to solving this mystery and exposing the Order. If the Order is guilty, then we can get Arendelle back and if they aren't, we can clear Elsa and Anna's names and Elsa can rule the kingdom again." Balder smiled slightly.

"Well, I guess it's back to the councilmen again." Kristoff sat back, "You've got any idea who might've done it?"

"Excluding the three of us, there is Bard, Diethelm and Adalstan, so it has to be one of them." Balder stroked his chin.

"Yeah, but we don't have the time to investigate the three of 'em. Even if we sent each of our men, it would take more than a day and we do not know how long the Order will be out of Arendelle." Bjarke folded his arms.

"We need a much faster method of doing this." Ben turned to Balder. "We can't just walk up and ask 'em straight up; we'd get ourselves killed."

"Are the monarchs of the Table still present in Arendelle?" Balder turned to him.

"Three of them. We could've asked Queen Rapunzel for her help since she's fond of them, but she's returned to Corona already." Ben sat back.

"Perfect." Balder smirked, "We'll go and ask 'em straight up."

"What?" Bjarke raised his brow.

* * *

RAYS OF sunlight seeped through the windows, creating a pattern on the floor of the throne room. Soldiers of the Nine Stars manned the entrance, some filing along the carpet leading up to the cathedra. A man sat in it, clad in a thick cloak with a hood over his head as he crossed his legs, leaning against the armrest.

The doors swung open, tensing up the soldiers who drew out their swords. Balder, Bjarke, Kristoff and Ben entered, walking calmly and ignoring the men, moving up to the throne at the end of the room. The soldiers stepped back, glancing at Ben who turned away from them. The man on the throne flicked his fingers, instructing the guards to give way for them.

"What brings you here, Sir Balder?" The man leaned forward. "Have you finally realized the folly of consorting with those creatures that masquerade as humans?"

"Remove the cloak, so that we may see your face, Lord Erhard." Balder stepped forward.

"Hmm, seems my guise was a failure, huh, Balder?" The man on the throne removed his hood, revealing himself to be Diethelm. "I did not expect it to fool you anyway."

Kristoff's eyes dilated in surprise, the revelation raising a point of concern as thoughts raced in his mind. If the Order had indeed left, why would they have left a councilman of Arendelle in their stead? Would it not have been wiser to leave one of their own to pose as Erhard? Why was he revealing himself so easily?

"Where is Erhard?" Kristoff frowned.

"He is Lord Erhard, to you." Diethelm smirked.

"His location doesn't matter." Bjarke stepped forward. "All that does is that he's not here and that he left Diethelm to pose as him, which proves that he is untrustworthy."

"What would be so important to the Order who wanted Arendelle so badly that they would leave one of its councilmen to rule it instead of their own?" Balder's eyes trailed around the room. Diethelm remained silent and sat back on the throne.

"Does something amuse you, Diethelm?" Ben raised his brow.

"… Where are Elsa and Anna?" A sly smile crossed Diethelm's face.

"That is a matter that does not concern you." Balder frowned.

"Oh, but it does." Diethelm chuckled. "It still surprises me that they managed to escape Arendelle with their lives and judging that you are with him." He pointed at Kristoff. "I can tell that you are working with them, probably on a more personal level than the rest of us." He smirked. ''It does not matter anyway since they followed that map.''

"What have you done to them?" Balder frowned.

"It does not matter because the Order is hunting for them, just like all the rest."

"There are others?" Ben glanced around the room.

"The Order has hunted magical creatures for centuries, of course there are others." Diethelm chuckled. "They worked this hard to get Elsa and Anna out of Arendelle so that they could dispose of them the way they always did."

"It was you who put the Silver Leaf in Princess Anna's drink, wasn't it?" Balder stepped forward.

"You're quite the perceptive one, aren't you?" Diethelm raised his brow with a smirk.

"Why'd you do it?" Kristoff stepped forward.

"Who else would be blamed if the monarchs were mysteriously burned without any trace of a fire? Better she do it herself so that we would not be found out." Diethelm sat back.

"So, you were working for the Order this whole time? Spying for them right under our noses." Bjarke folded his arms.

"Think of me as a new recruit. I will gladly be a pawn in Lord Erhard's scheme to rule the entire realm." Diethelm chuckled. "I would be rich beyond my wildest dreams if I followed him, rather be at the beck and call of a foolish woman who does not have her emotions under control or her sister who can't make tough decisions."

"This is treason." Ben gritted his teeth.

"It isn't because your pretty queen is nowhere to be seen." Diethelm crossed his legs. "Like the coward we believed she was, she did not even show her face to retake her kingdom. Now that you're here, we can finally dispose of anyone who aligns themselves with her."

The Order's soldiers drew their swords, encircling Balder, Bjarke, Kristoff and Ben who backed into the centre of the throne room. Feeling around for his axe, Kristoff cursed, frowning deeply as he realized that he left it in his shop. Balder shifted his gaze around, turning to Diethelm who chuckled as he sat back.

"Kill these fools." He flicked his hand.

"That is quite enough." A man's voice came.

The pattering of feet met their ears, grabbing the attention of the room's occupants as the monarchs of the Table entered. Among them were their soldiers who looked at the Order's tensely, holding the hilts of their blades readily. A king stepped forth, his gleaming shoes matching his white suit that consisted of a four quarter blazer, trousers and red ascot that matched epaulettes with gold fringe. He pulled the sleeve of his jacket as he treaded the hall, a confident smirk on his face.

"I knew Anna would not have killed my brother." King Hans frowned.

"What? Who let them in here?" Diethelm's eyes dilated in surprise.

"We needed permission to enter the throne room?" Princess Cinderella raised her brow. "I thought royals were allowed to freely roam the palace."

"Who did this?" Diethelm frowned as he looked around, his gaze falling on Ben whom he shot a glare at. "You."

"This madness ends here, Diethelm." Ben walked toward him.

"Oh, but it's just getting started." He turned to the soldiers. "Kill them all; this is rebellion against the Order!"

A fight quickly ensued as the Order's soldiers collided with the soldiers of Arendelle, Bjarke, Ben, Balder and Kristoff backing away from the centre of the room as they fought. Watching from the corner of the room, Ben shifted his gaze, looking at the rooms occupants as he frowned. Folding their arms, Princess Cinderella and Queen Snow White watched the battle, frowning at the occurrence.

"Do men need violence to solve all their problems?" Queen Snow White raised her brow.

"Some of them I guess." Cinderella sighed. "And I'm sure it won't end here."

"Let's just hope our side wins cuz I don't wanna become a slave for the Order." Queen Snow White frowned.

"Yup." Cinderella nodded.

Kristoff stepped back from the fight, confusion stitching his brow as he turned to Ben. Though the occurrence was quick and the lighting of the room could be a contributing factor, the councilman's eyes appeared to glow purple for a moment. Shrugging it off, the mountain man turned to Balder who stood to his right, his gaze shifting as he watched the scuffle; the clanging of metal echoing through the room.

"Does this mean that we're declaring war on the Order?" Kristoff furrowed his brow, his voice hushed to a whisper.

"There is no other recourse if we get out of here alive." Balder frowned.

"You know this idea is dumb as hell, right?" Kristoff folded his arms.

"It is the only choice we have." Balder sighed. "Let us hope that what Arnljot said was not true and the Order does not have dragons with them."

"And if they do?"

Balder turned away from Kristoff, an appropriate answer failing to come to mind as he turned to the fight that was dying down. With the last Order soldier down on the floor, the monarchs stepped forward, Hans standing in the forefront, his angered gaze moving to Diethelm. Chuckling, the councilman stood and walked up to the royals, his hands raised nonchalantly.

"Alright, you've got me." Diethelm lowered his hands. "I give up; I know when I'm beaten."

"Where is Lord Erhard?" Hans frowned.

"Do you think I would tell you that?" Diethelm raised his brow.

"Take him to the dungeons." Balder interrupted Hans, turning to the king with an apologetic look. "Forgive me, King Hans, but he will not be of any aid to us in our search for Lord Erhard."

"Then how will we find him?" Hans turned to him.

"I acquired a map that leads us to what I believe to the Order's fortress; in fact, I am completely certain of it."

"What is going on with the Order? Why was he on the throne instead of Lord Erhard?"

"Lord Erhard has been lying to us all. The Order has not been slaying dragons as they had claimed, but has been keeping them in their fortress." Balder frowned.

"You expect us to believe that?" Cinderella raised her brow, crossing her arms before her. "I believed that Anna didn't kill the monarchs, but there's no way dragons are still alive."

"You do understand the ramifications of what you're saying, Sir Balder?" Hans furrowed his brow.

"I am well aware of that and there is more the Order has done." Balder exhaled slightly before he continued. "The Order were behind the deaths of Queen Elsa and Princess Anna's parents."

"What?" A princess squeaked, her voice soon followed by murmuring that spread amongst the monarchs.

"King Adgar and Queen Idun died when their ship capsized." Hans frowned. "My brother attended the burial."

"The royal sisters' real parents had powers just like them and the Order murdered them. King Adgar and Queen Idun came across them in the forest soon after and they killed them." Balder huffed slightly. "It was hard for me to believe when I first heard it, but it's true."

"Your story is too farfetched." Hans shook his head. "So, you're telling me all of this happened and the Order kept it a secret?"

"There is no other conclusion to draw here." Balder shifted his gaze, a frown stitching as he looked at the others' disbelieving faces. "Queen Elsa and Princess Anna are different from the rest of us; we all know it. There is no other way to explain why King Adgar and Queen Idun did not have their powers other than this."

"I …" Hans sighed and frowned.

The King shut his eyes, exhaling deeply as he looked around, thoughts fuzzed by a silence that assaulted his ears. A soothing calm rushed through the atmosphere, minds hushed by an ominous feeling that filled the room. Shifting his gaze to Ben, Bjarke frowned slightly as he saw a small flicker in his eyes. Shrugging it off, the old man huffed and turned to the monarchs.

"We must return to our kingdoms, gather our soldiers and ready ourselves for battle." Hans turned to the royals. "The Order's tyrannical rule ends now and we have all the proof we need to advance."

"Isn't this a lil rash?" Queen Snow White raised her brow. "Doesn't the Order have a dragon slaying army that can take all of ours out easily?"

"Their legends have already been disproven and we have all seen their treachery." Hans frowned, the others' reactions urging him to continue speaking. "Since my brothers conquered other kingdoms and left me to rule the Southern Isles, I have learned one thing; if you wait for your enemy to strike first, you will lose indefinitely. By attacking these men, we have already declared war on them with our attack on their men, so let us use the element of surprise and attack the Order first."

The royals cheered in agreement, some hesitant while others were elated; a contented smile crossing Han's face. Taking their leave, the monarchs exited the hall, their soldiers pushing those of the Order and Diethelm along with Balder, Bjarke, Ben and Kristoff following. The mountain man shifted slightly as he moved, his eyes darting around suspiciously.

"Is something bothering you, my prince?" Balder walked up to him.

"No, nothing." Kristoff smirked slightly. "Just waiting for the right moment to punch Hans in the nose." He frowned.

* * *

A WHITE cloud escaped her as she rubbed her shoulders, the cold moving tremulously up her arms as her fingers shook. A contented sigh met her ears, turning her gaze to see her sister sleeping on a rock with her head hanging lazily. Her face reddened as she saw her lay back, crimson flooding her face as she gasped in anger.

"I'm shivering here and you're gonna sleep there?" Anna frowned.

"Huh … what?" Elsa roused slowly.

"Hmm." Anna folded her arms, pouting. "And I thought you cared about me." She shut her eyes. "I'm cold and you're falling asleep."

"No, Anna." Elsa sat up, stretching her arms. "That's not true." She yawned.

"You're even yawning!" Anna gasped. "Ooh, I'm not friends with you anymore." She turned away, whining.

"We're sisters, Anna." Elsa chuckled. "Do I need to show you the similarities again? You forgot your surname again?"

"I'm not dumb." Her voice grew high, coming off like that of a young girl.

"Come on." Elsa embraced her, rubbing her cheek against hers. "You feel better now?" She smiled.

"No, I'm not talking to you again." Anna looked away.

"Anna, come o …" Elsa's voice trailed off, her eyes shutting slowly.

"You're doing it again!" Anna frowned, her face bright red in childish anger.

"I'm sorry." Elsa chuckled, rubbing her eye as a yawn escaped her. "I dunno why I'm so sleepy all of a sudden."

Anna pouted, turning away from Elsa who chuckled as she watched her younger sister throw a tantrum. Feeling sleep weigh on her, she rose to her feet, her arms spread out as she took in her surroundings. The trickling of the stream to her right tickled her ears, the lush flora livening her as she turned to her sibling.

"Hey, you got any idea where we are now?" Anna turned to Elsa.

"Nope." She looked around, the dawning night inhibiting her vision. "Been following the campus on the chest, but it feels like we've been walking for weeks."

"I know, right?" Anna stood up. "It's only been two days, but I can swear that we've been walking for way longer than that."

"Yeah, I know." Elsa stretched back, fighting a yawn. "It's totally weird and I feel so sleepy."

Looking at her sister, Anna stitched her brow slightly as she watched, her eyes trailing down to her chest as she studied her. Lowering her head, she looked at herself, a huff escaping her as she folded her arms. Cocking her neck, she frowned as she hugged Elsa from behind, making her jerk back in surprise.

"You know, just 'cuz you offered for yourself as a pillow doesn't mean you're bigger than me." Anna smirked. "We're the same size and you know it."

"What're you talking about?" Elsa raised her brow.

"Oh, you know what I'm talking about." Anna chuckled. "You're not gonna fool me."

"Well, I didn't offer; I clearly told you not to sleep 'cuz I'd have to drag you around." Elsa frowned.

"Mm-hmm, but you mentioned your boobs when I didn't. You can't show off when we're the same."

"But I wasn't showing off." Elsa darted her eyes around.

"Is that so?" Anna stepped back, squinting at her as she furrowed her brow. "Lemme guess, he couldn't keep his hands off you; could he?"

"I am not talking to you about that!" Elsa glared at her, pink dusting her cheeks.

"Huh, guess I was right." Anna folded her arms. "You finally get some and now you're the 'Queen of Rack Country'." She gestured.

"Anna." Elsa gasped.

"It didn't take Kristoff as long as it took Balder." Anna chuckled. "Compare a month to a year; I'm pretty sure Balder's nickname doesn't do him justice at all."

"Wha …" Elsa stuttered. "Shut up, Anna." She folded her arms.

"Relax, I'm kidding." Anna chuckled.

"Uh-uh, you offended me." She pouted.

"Come on." Anna walked up to her.

"No, I'm not talking to you anymore." Elsa shook her head. "I'm letting you go."

"Elsa, come on." Anna stretched her arms. "Hug?"

"It was a bad pun, but I stand by it." Elsa shut her eyes, raising her nose to her.

A rustling met their ears, drawing their attention as they turned to see a deer moving out of the forest up to the riverbank. Lowering its head, it lapped up some water, peaking Anna's interest as she watched the animal. An arrow flew into the creature's neck, downing it instantly as it collapsed on the ground. Stepping out of the forest, Torgeir looked around, a bow clutched at his side; his eyes widened in surprise as he saw the sisters.

"Queen Elsa, Princess Anna!" He walked toward them, placing the arrow on his back.

"Torgeir, you're alive!" Elsa smiled at him.

"I thought you all died." Anna hugged him.

"Y-yes, I was lucky enough to escape." He cleared his throat, taken aback by the princess's actions. "I jumped off my horse before it fell, but I was unable to help you." He held the strap of his arrow. "I would have shot that monster, but it blew me away when it jumped in front of you. I regained consciousness and you were already gone."

"So, you haven't seen it again?" Elsa's brows stitched.

"Thankfully, I did not." Torgeir sighed.

"I'm sorry about your friends." Anna furrowed your brow. "It happened so quickly."

"Well, we were prepared to lose our friends in battle; it was bound to happen." Torgeir frowned. "I did not expect it to happen so quickly though." He sighed. "Arian was so young too, but I suppose it was his time."

"What're you gonna do now?" Elsa rubbed her arm.

"Follow my Orders; I must help you with your journey."

"You shouldn't; it's too dangerous for you." Anna furrowed her brow.

"I cannot disobey my orders." Torgeir frowned.

"It's okay; we can handle ourselves, Torgeir." Elsa chuckled slightly. "You should find a way off the island."

"I'm afraid I cannot." Torgeir cocked his neck.

"Why? You don't need to risk your lives for us." Anna frowned.

"I need to come with you to Arendelle after this; there is something important I must do." Torgeir frowned. "There is someone I must see."

"Who?" Elsa raised her brow.

"One of your councilmen, Sir Balder; he is my younger brother."

"How?" Anna stepped back.

"My father was a Lord at Winterfell and he was good friends with King Adgar. He died in war and my mother fell ill, so the King and Queen of Arendelle took Balder in. I only learned of this when I returned home and I have been searching for him ever since." Torgeir continued. "I heard that he had been raised in the courts of the kingdom and had become a Lord. I was unable to find means of coming there until now, so I must help you in order to see him again."

"Well, okay, I guess." Anna's voice vibrated uneasily. "But I'm not sure this is such a good idea."

"I must do this; I have no other recourse." Torgeir frowned.

"Okay, welcome aboard." Elsa smiled at him.

"Thank you, your highness." Torgeir nodded and looked around. "We must find a place to set up camp before night falls."

"Yeah, but did you have to kill the deer?" Worry stitched her brow. "Poor thing; it just wanted a cup of water."

"Uh, Anna, you know it can't –," Anna interrupted Elsa.

"You do think I'm dumb." She gasped, folding her arms.

"Anna, I don't." Elsa chuckled. "I'm just –,"

A dark shadow swept over them, its size encompassing them all as it moved past, grabbing their attention. Raising their heads, their eyes dilated in shock as they backed away slowly; faces whitened by fear. A black dragon flew over them, its wings outstretched to its side as it swerved through the air and soared above the trees. Backtracking, the trio rushed back into the forest, Elsa quickly picking the chest and holding it in the crook of her arm as she moved.

Manoeuvring through the trees, the three ran onward, tossing away a second thought as they evaded the creature that was long gone. Torgeir leapt over a bush and hid behind, pressing his back against the wood as he listened closely. With a sigh of relief, he rose to his feet, scanning the area as he looked for the sisters.

"Queen Elsa." Torgeir stitched his brow.

"Help!" Her voice came sharply.

Following the source, he ran to his right and moved past a tree, seeing Elsa and Anna a few feet away from him. Approaching them, he stopped, raising his brow as he came to a halt and suppressed a laugh at the sight. Elsa tugged at Anna's arm, warring with a small wolf that bit at the leg of her trousers, growling fiercely.

"Arrgh! Pay back the money, arrgh!" The wolf growled.

"Get off me!" Anna shook her leg. "Torgeir, help me!"

"That's not my problem, heh, heh, heh, heh." Torgeir laughed, wiggling his finger mockingly.

"Quit laughing and help us!" Anna frowned at him.

"It humours me that with your powers, you cannot handle a small dog like that." Torgeir bent down, picking up a stone.

"Just hurry!" Elsa pulled Anna's arm.

Chuckling, Torgeir chucked the rock at the wolf's head, scaring the canine and causing it to retreat. Looking at her leg, Anna lifted her trouser and searched for bite marks, aided by her sister who looked at her leg closely. Walking up to the women, he adjusted strap of his arrow sheath, his gaze shifting around as he approached.

"Hmm." Anna watched the wolf scurry off. "I think I'd like a wolf pup, like maybe take that one in."

"No, Anna." Elsa frowned.

"I can take care of him." Anna smiled. "I could call him Seier."

"Anna, no." Elsa enunciated.

"What the hell was that thing?" Anna furrowed her brow.

"It was a black dragon." Torgeir folded his arms. "Were any of the Order's legends true?"

"It seems they weren't, but why would they lie about it?" Elsa frowned.

"Whatever their reasons may be, we need to keep moving." Torgeir walked past them. "We would surely be attacked by these creatures if we stay in one place."

"Right." Elsa nodded.

Following the man, the sisters looked around anxiously, the older of the two clutching to the chest gingerly as they proceeded. The glow emanating from it increased in intensity, her eyes glinting softly in its luminescence as it shone brightly. Torgeir and Anna turned to her, gripped at attention as they looked at the box.

"What is it?" Torgeir furrowed his brow.

Elsa did not respond, the life in her eyes quietened as she stared at the compass ardently. Without a word, she ran to her left, her step quicker than the two as they tailed her. Though their calls met her ears, she kept going, the world around her paling in comparison to her resolve to follow what she believed to be her mother's voice. Hearing it as well, Anna sprinted catching up to Elsa and leaving Torgeir behind.

"Your Highness, where're you going?" Torgeir panted.

A sudden rush of wind enveloped them, the cold stinging their eyes as they shielded their faces with their arms. Taking in their surroundings, they stood in awe as they were suddenly surrounded by snow. Looking forward, they saw the top of a small hill that ascended higher than the rocky mountainous area around them.

"What the hell?" Torgeir furrowed her brow.

"Uh, what just happened?" Anna looked around then turned to her sister who remained silent. "Elsa?"

Elsa's head hung low, her eyes fixed on the chest as the glow enamoured her and left her mouth slightly agape. Walking slowly, she followed the direction the campus led and walked up the hill, tailed by Anna and Torgeir. Reaching the acme, the trio stood, awed and terrified by what was before them.

A massive fortress stood in the middle of the mountainous area, frost visibly moving up the grey walls and its conical roofs piercing the skies above. Four black dragons swerved around the edifice, their sizes sending chills up their spines as the flew like guards on patrol.

* * *

**As always, Follow, Favourite and Review and Await the Awesomeness as we dive deeper into the universe. Thanks for reading.**


	7. Cracked Crown

WOOD CREAKED as the waters rushed around him, his thoughts encasing him in a world of worry as he balled his hands before him and stared off into the horizon. It was set in stone and every outcome would be on their heads; the Table was going to war against the Order.

Messenger sparrows had been sent and the monarchs returned to their respective kingdoms to gather their armies. Arendelle would start off first as it was the furthest from the Order's fortress and their ships had set sail. Balder sat in his cabin aboard one of the kingdom's vessels, awaiting their arrival onto the island Elsa and Anna had set off to.

Though the safety of the sisters was a source of great concern for the councilman, he could not shake off the feeling that something was amiss. Bjarke had brought this to him before their departure and it plagued his mind ever since. The decision to declare war was nearly unanimous and he indeed believed it to be their only course of action, but something did not sit well with him.

There was a vague sense of unease within him, like his thoughts were not completely under his control. It felt like someone was pushing him down the course of action he was on and yet it felt like the decision was his. He warred within his mind to figure out what the turmoil was, but came up with nothing.

He huffed and stood up, moving across the floor up to the door of his cabin and began to walk down the upper deck. He shrugged off his concerns and decided to focus on the task at hand; the war was going to happen and there was no avoiding it. Since most of the Order's legends proved to be a farce, the Table would be able to eradicate them without any trouble. Eight armies against one, the odds were definitely in their favour.

* * *

HER HEART sank as her eyes took in the writing, the letter's message feeling like a prophecy of doom. Rapunzel never truly trusted Hans and though he had become King of the Southern Isles, she could still see the mischievous prince who tried to kill her cousins. Elsa and Anna had sworn to never speak his name after he was declared King and she decided to abide to it. Despite that, there was no doubt that the letter was true; even he would not stoop so low as to lie about something as tremendous as this.

The question was how she would react; could she send her men to wage a war she felt they would certainly lose? Such circumstances were what led her to leave Arendelle and return to her kingdom which she believed was more peaceful. She just found out that she was pregnant and needed a calm environment as she felt too much stress would be detrimental to the health of it, but such a desire was quickly becoming a luxury.

Turning to her husband who approached her, she stitched her brows, handing him the parchment without saying a word. Recognizing the look on his face, she sighed, taking a seat on the chair in her office. He wrapped the paper up and placed it on the table, looking her in the eye.

"What do we do, Eugene?" She furrowed her brow.

* * *

TORGEIR STUCK his head above the rock, letting only his eyes peak over before he sat back down. Turning to his left, he looked at the Queen with concern as her face seemed lost, captivated by the glow of the chest she held. Anna blinked, snapping out of her daze and peeped behind the rock, looking at the fortress in the distance.

"What do we do now?" Anna turned to her sister. "Elsa?"

"I …" Elsa sighed, shutting her eyes as she sobered. "Dunno." She huffed and turned to Anna. "We … we've gotta find a way to get in there; it's where the chest's pointing at."

"Do you see those beasts roaming it? They would kill us the moment they see us." Torgeir stifled his voice to a whisper. "We should get back to the forest and find somewhere to hide."

"Look around, the forest's too far off; if we run, they're gonna kill us!" Anna pointed at the forest whose trees peaked just above the rocky terrain.

"Shh! They might hear us." Elsa pressed her finger to her lips.

"I'm just saying that the forest's too far away." Anna's voice muffled against her finger, bringing a frown to her face.

"How did that happen?" Torgeir looked at the forest. "Weren't we in there mere minutes ago?"

"Wasn't it near nightfall minutes ago?" Elsa looked at the sky as dawn slowly approached.

"I'm confused here." Anna scratched her head. "We were in the forest in the evening minutes ago and now we're on a snowy mountain at dawn?"

"How is it even snowing? Isn't it summer?" Torgeir raised his brow.

"Weird." Anna raised her brow then frowned and turned to her sister. "Elsa."

"What?" Elsa turned to her then raised her brow as Torgeir frowned at her as well. "What?"

"You're doing it again." Anna frowned.

"Oh, what, just because I accidentally froze over an entire kingdom, you think I froze this mountain?" Elsa folded her arms.

"It seems highly likely." Torgeir smirked.

"Well, I didn't do it." Elsa frowned.

"What should we do now?" Torgeir looked around.

"We should try to get in the fortress." Elsa looked at the chest. "It's where the compass's pointing to and it's the closest place we've got to hide in."

"If we're moving, we'd better move quick cuz these dragons might hear us." Anna eyes darted around fearfully.

"Doesn't look like they've noticed us yet." Elsa peeked over the rock. "We need a way to get in the fortress."

"This is gonna be tricky." Anna bit her lip.

A screechy roar sent shivers up their spines, the sound of wings flapping drawing closer as wind gathered. They quickly rose to their feet, seeing a dragon descend upon them, its mouth wide open as it breathed in. The beast spat a stream of fire at them, quickly evaporating as Elsa summoned a wall of ice from the snowy ground before her.

The other dragons swooped toward them, three larger beasts that opened their mouths, ready to attack the trio. Spreading out, Elsa, Anna and Torgeir avoided the blasts of fire the animals shot at them, running in different directions. A dragon landed before Torgeir, moving quickly toward him as it bit at his arm.

An icicle smashed against the monster's mouth, drawing its attention to Elsa who jumped away from another dragon that sent fire at her. The beast left Torgeir and flew towards the Ice Queen, slowed down by Anna who showered it with a blanket of flame. The monster shook its head, shrugging off the onslaught that barely phased it and spat fire at her.

Anna jumped out of the way and got smacked aside as another dragon flung towards her, its left arm coated in ice. The creature rolled to its feet, growling angrily as it sent a stream of fire at Elsa. She lifted her right arm, erecting a wall of ice to shield her and caked the limb with hardened snow as a dragon bit her arm and dragged her along. Shaking her like a ragdoll, the monster smacked her against the ground repeatedly and tossed her into the air, opening its mouth as she fell toward it.

Anna scooped Elsa as she flew by, moving towards Torgeir who ran away from a dragon that opened its mouth at him. Shielding him from the fires with a hovering plate of ice, Elsa landed on her feet, standing before Torgeir as Anna jumped down. Spinning around with outstretched arms, Elsa forged a wall of ice that encircled the three.

"How're we gonna get past these things?" Anna looked around frantically.

Shards of ice sprayed past her as a dragon smashed through the wall and shot fire at them. The flames burnt Torgeir's left forearm, drawing a scream of pain as he flailed around in a panic. Elsa sent a clump of snow on the wound and shot her palms forward, sending a jet of ice at a dragon that ran toward her.

Anna shot a fireball at a dragon that descended upon her, rolling out of the way as it flew through the attack and dove toward her. The sisters sent streams of their elements at the four beasts that moved toward them, the older of the two flying above so she could take in her surroundings. Looking to her left, she saw Torgeir run off, his wounded arm held at his side.

"Torgeir, where're you going?!" She stitched her brow in confusion.

"There is an opening in the building!" He breathed heavily.

Sliding on the snow, he got to his knees as he moved up to a circular opening with iron bars before it. Clasping his hands around them, he pulled with all his might, his teeth gritting as pain seared though his burnt arm. A dragon sprinted out of the stream of fire Anna showered upon it and flew toward him.

Torgeir rolled out of the way quickly, unsheathing his sword as he got to his feet and swung the blade at the dragon, digging it into its neck. The beast thrashed around as its blood spurted out, shaking his injured arm as it did. A boulder of ice smashed against the dragon, smacking it aside as its wings scraped against the bars, snapping them like twigs.

"Come on!" Torgeir turned to the sisters.

A dragon leapt over Elsa, pouncing on her and meeting a shield of ice as they plummeted to the ground. Flying out of the way, she let the beast crash behind her, shooting towards her sister whose arm she yanked forcefully. They zoomed past Torgeir, diving into the opening in the wall and he jumped in, sliding into a pipe.

* * *

"HOW LONG are we gonna fall?" Anna slid down the pipe helplessly.

"It should have an end, right?" Elsa looked down at her.

"Okay, this isn't fun anymore." Anna folded her arms and huffed.

"You think this is fun?" Elsa raised her brow.

"Okay, I've had enough." Anna frowned and punched the pipe, breaking a hole through the metal and flew out of it, plummeting to the ground below. "Whoa, didn't know my own strength." She chuckled then looked up, seeing Elsa and Torgeir fall towards her. "Oh, this is some o' bullsh –,"

Anna slammed on the floor and Elsa landed across her midsection, gaining a grunt from her. Torgeir fell towards them then flipped over in mid-air, rolling to his feet further away. Elsa got off Anna slowly, the resultant pain from their struggle setting in as she helped her sister stand up.

"Hey, how'd you do that?" Anna raised her brow as she turned to Torgeir.

"I'm well trained." He smirked.

"But that's impossible." Elsa furrowed her brow.

"Nobody told me." Torgeir shrugged.

"Well, at least we got away from those dragons." Anna stretched her back. "Man, my fire did nothing to them."

"All that matters is that we made it away safely." Torgeir smiled at her.

"Hey, where's the chest?" Anna turned to Elsa.

"On my chest." Elsa held the ice laced around her neck. "I made this when the dragons attacked so I wouldn't lose it."

"Humph." Anna folded her arms. "You're just showing off your boobs again, aren't you?"

"No, I'm not!" Elsa frowned.

"They are quite large." Torgeir cocked his neck.

"Hands off." Elsa crossed her arms before her breasts, squinting at him suspiciously.

He chuckled and shifted his gaze, his eyes widening as he saw several cloaked men standing around them. Their faces were cold and their glares sent shivers up their spines, even Elsa's. Murmuring amongst themselves, the men scurried off, heading out a door to their right.

The trio looked around, their curiosity peaking as they took in their surroundings and walked around. Several pipes lined the walls of the dim, windowless room, moving horizontally across and leading up to the ceiling to the right. Several glass tubes stood vertically around them, energy of different colours shining dimly from them and illuminating the room faintly. A cold chill came from the left side of the room, making Torgeir shudder as his burnt arm began to sting.

"Ooh, guess my ice didn't hold." Elsa walked up to him. "Lemme see that."

She held his arm gently and looked at the wound, her brows stitching as she could feel his pain by simply seeing it. A large portion of his skin was burnt off and most of his endodermal skin was exposed, scorched badly as blood failed to bleed out. Blowing gently, she breathed a soft layer of snow on the wound, slowly encasing it in ice, slowly hardening as she thickened the coating till his flesh was obscured.

"It no longer hurts, right?" Elsa looked up at him.

"Wow." He looked at the snow cast in awe. "Thank you, your Highness."

"You're welcome." She smiled at him.

"This is incredible." He laughed then frowned as he turned to Anna. "Uh, Princess Anna?"

"Anna?" Elsa looked at her.

Anna walked slowly, her body inching towards a door to their left from which a cold chill exuded. Elsa ran up to her, holding her shoulders in place as she looked her in the eyes. Her face was dazed, her turquoise blue eyes lost as they latched at nothing, bringing a frown to her older sister's face.

"Anna." She shook her.

"I …" Anna sobered, shaking her head. "I … I heard mom calling me."

"What?" Elsa stepped back.

"Mom's here, Elsa." Anna smiled. "I heard her singing."

"What … how?" Elsa's brows furrowed.

"Aren't King Adgar and Queen Idun dead?" Torgeir walked up to them.

"I heard her singing." Anna's eyes blurred.

"How can this be?" Elsa lowered her head, sifting through her thoughts.

"We should go where Anna was going. Perhaps it is the source of the voice she was hearing." Torgeir looked at the door.

"No, we need to split up and find out what's going on here." Elsa looked up at him. "Try following those men and we'll follow the voice; we'll have to move if we don't wanna get caught."

"Understood, your Highness." Torgeir nodded.

He ran off, heading out the exit to the right of the room, his footsteps receding out of earshot as he shut it behind him. Turning to her younger sister, Elsa looked at the door to the left, her brows stitching in anticipation as she moved onward. Holding Anna's hand, she opened it, entering an expansive hallway that had a faint luminescence towards its end.

Elsa began to hear the voice as well, its tone being soft and gentle, very similar to Anna's, if not identical without its underlying huskiness and higher pitch. It was mesmerizing and enthralling, bringing warmth to her heart as she moved onward. She recognized it; it was indeed the voice of her mother, not Idun. It sung a song sweetly, deeply moving her though she did not understand every word though she had a good grasp on foreign languages.

… _The sky's awake…_

"Elsa." Anna's voice came.

"Huh?"

"The chest; it's glowing." She pointed at it.

Elsa lifted the parchment, spreading it out as the calligraphy shone brightly, lighting up the hall. The words began to change as she looked at them, they seemed different as she read and she slowly began to understand their language. Sounds began to bubble through in her mind as she and her sister walked faster.

"Mom's there!" Elsa smiled.

"I can hear her!" Anna giggled.

"Mom's still alive."

* * *

PUSHING THE heavy twin doors aside, the sisters entered a large hall with chairs lined up in rows leading up to a large metal grate that stood at the end of the room, it's metalwork embellished by a crimson rosary design. The two walked down the expanse, taking in their surroundings and horrified at the sight. Its architecture had a Gothic theme with black liquid lacing through the esoteric symbolism of the walls. It dawned on them instantly that they were in the meeting place of a cult.

"What's going on here?" Elsa furrowed her brow.

_'Elsa, Anna.'_

"Mom!" Anna looked around, glee exuding from her face.

"Where are you?" Elsa grinned.

_'Guess the letter actually got to you…'_ Their mother's voice came, only audible in their minds.

"Elsa, it's the letter." Anna pointed at the parchment.

"Huh?" Elsa unrolled the scroll, reading it attentively.

_'… If you're reading this, then you've found the chest.'_ Hjørdis' voice continued and chuckled. _'I've never been good at letters, so your father's helping me with this. He's such a softie; he didn't even want me to write this at all actually.'_ She cleared her throat. _'Okay, how do I start this? … Um, hi, I'm your mom, Hjørdis.'_

"Mom." Anna furrowed her brow.

_'I'm glad this letter got to you safely; it took a lotta magic to hide it from anyone else, so it's great that it lasted as long as it did. By this time, you've obviously discovered your powers and you're probably coming to learn that you're not human.'_ Hjørdis paused. _'My real name is Sinmara and I was Queen of the Fire Demons and Hjørdis is the name I took up when I got here. I was married to Surtur, King of the Fire Demons and was supposed to rule at his side, but I was never like the rest of the Demons. I never had any real power to fight and my magic was mostly made to create, not destroy. The other Demons didn't want me in Muspelheim, so Surtur cast me out and put me in a human body. I was confused and scared when I ended up here and your father was the first human I met.'_ Hjørdis chuckled.

_'I literally ran up and hugged him when I saw him. He took me in and we grew close to each other. I soon discovered that he was part Frost Giant because he was infected during the Great War, a war that lasted nearly a decade between humans, Frost Giants and dragons which the humans barely won thanks to the Order of the Nine Stars who took out the dragons and the All-Father Odin who took out the Giants. We got married and had you two when the Order attacked us and we got separated.'_ Hjørdis sighed.

_'It took us a couple weeks and we found out that your father's twin sister, Queen Idun, had taken you in. The four of us discussed and agreed that it'd be best for you to stay with them so that the Order wouldn't hunt you down. If you'd stayed with us, your powers would only get stronger and you would easily be found.'_ Hjørdis' choked up. _'It was very hard …'_ She sighed shakily. _'To have to watch you grow from afar and soon have to let you go after Adgar and Idun had to lock you away to hide your powers. I never got to see your become young women.'_ Hjørdis sniffled.

_'I always imagined how you'd be, growing up into beautiful young girls who'd soon find their men and have families. To see how you'd raise your own kids and pass down what I'd taught you… I missed all of that. Your father took it the hardest and would sometimes go days on end without a word. It made him so proud that you remembered the snow creature he made you when you were two. What was his name? ... Olaf.'_ Hjørdis chuckled. _'That was it. Ah, he still holds it over me that I couldn't summon any creatures from my realm, but he could. Since he wasn't fully Juton, he could only summon one and luckily, you could only summon the same exact one. The creatures we can make are different. Some are special, like Olaf and others are like clones, like the Snowgies. I wonder if you'll summon them as well; they're such fun lil rascals. The problem's that your father wasn't very good at it, so Olaf would lose memory every once in a while. It made him proud to see that you summoned him up too.'_

_'Elsa, Anna, what you have in your hands is something very dangerous your father and I found a couple years ago called the Casket of Ancient Winters. That Casket has the power to freeze over the whole world and create an army of Frost Giants, basically transforming earth into Jutonheim. We hid it away on a magical island we'd ran off to after the Order began to hunt us down and we sealed it off with magic that only you would be able to sense.'_

_'You must not let it get into the wrong hands, especially the Order's. We don't know what they're planning, but they can't be trusted. Please, never open it! It'll freeze the earth if you do!'_ Hjørdis laughed softly. _'I … I guess that's the end of my letter. It's like the third one I've ever written, so don't laugh at me if it's not good or hard to understand.'_ Elsa and Anna chuckled slightly, picturing their mother having an expression Anna would likely have during a tantrum. _'I hope you understood all of it and I hope the spell I left on it works so you can find me. Hope your aunt taught you how to follow a compass; though I'm sure you can easily do that … I can't.'_ Hjørdis chuckled. _'Just know that your father and I love you very much and are dying to see you again. Hope you can find us with the compass. Love, your mom and dad.'_

"You know, it's weird …" Elsa rolled up the scroll and wiped a tear. "I never thought mom was so much like you."

"Where'd you think I get it from?" Anna chuckled. "Kinda seems that you're a lot like dad."

"People do say I'm a mirror image of Aunt Idun and if she's his twin, then I guess I'm just like him." Elsa shrugged. "Guess I'm a daddy's girl."

"Yeah." Anna smiled then her face hardened. "Wait, we're supposed to follow the compass, right?"

"Mm-hmm." Elsa nodded.

"Then why's it pointing …" Anna turned to the end of the room. "There?"

Elsa blinked, looking at the compass with worry as she read its direction, the realization dawning on her. Swallowing hard, she stepped forward, followed closely by Anna who began to seize up in worry. The cold chill swept through again, to an amount even Elsa strangely could feel as her hands clenched up. The two reached the grate, sharing a glance as they placed their hands on it together.

Pushing the grate aside, they stepped forward and froze in place, their eyes widened with horror as they looked onward. A woman lay strapped to a large metal chair, her skin pale and her eyes shut as her golden hair swept across her cheek and rested on her shoulders. Several tubes were pierced along her arms, spreading outward, running along the floor and up to large pipes that lined the walls horizontally along the hall.

The woman was the mirror image of Anna with rosy cheeks deadened by the pale colour of her skin.

"No, no, no …" Anna whimpered "No, mom!"

Anna collapsed on her knees, gritting her teeth as she shook her head, her eyes watering as the realization stung them. Elsa furrowed her brow, disbelief exuding from her face as she stared blankly at her mother's corpse. She felt tears welling within her, but the shock and horror overcame the deep sorrow that washed over her. Was this her fate? Having to live a life of constant torture as she had to experience the loss of her parents twice?

She turned away from the corpse, quickly overwhelmed as she backed away, her body feeling weak as she saw what was before her. She fell to her knees, tears flowing freely down her cheeks as she looked upward, her head shaking slowly in disbelief. A man's severed head hung from a spike on the wall, dishevelled hair scattered over its forehead with skin paler than that of the woman on the chair.

"… Dad …"

The sisters wailed as they knelt over before the corpses of their parents, their voices echoing off the walls of the hall. The sorrow burned them deep within their hearts, the cold world around them freezing over as they realized that they were indeed alone. No matter how much they tried, in the end they truly would not have the lives they wanted.

"Asgard, home of the Asgardians, Svartalfheim, home of the Dark Elves, Nidavellir, home of the Darves, Alfheim, home of the Elves, Niflheim, the Norn Hell, Muspelheim, the home of the Fire Demons, Jutonheim, the home of the Frost Giants and Midgard, which we call earth." A man's voice came, his footsteps clicking as they approached.

Elsa turned her head slowly, tears flowing down her nose and trickling onto the floor as her eyes exuded hate. Erhard Vinzenz, the Head of the Order of the Nine Stars, approached them with a slow confident step, his arms held before him and his eyes locked with hers. Stopping near the epicentre of the hall, he lowered his arms and studied the sisters.

"The Order of the Nine Stars is the Order of the Nine Realms and just as Midgard is at the centre of Yggdrasil, we are at the centre of the Universe and I shall rule it once I ascend and become a god. You have been a great help in this plan and I am most grateful." Erhard sighed. "It is sad that you have not been as useful as your parents. Your father offered the most resistance, but your mother had far more magic. Her corpse had more energy than your father's and has been the well from which we have forged powerful spells like the illusion that crippled your perception of time. What felt like three days for you was in fact three weeks just as it does for all outsiders that come to the island. It was such a pity your parents came to this island and right into our hands; if they had simply stayed in the forest around Arendelle or disguised themselves as workers for the King and Queen, it would have been harder for us to find and kill them."

Anger swam through Elsa's body tremulously; her eyes wide and filled with rage as she glared at him. She moved to stand when she felt immense heat coming from Anna; her younger sister's body shrouded in a cloud of steam. Stepping back, she watched in shock as she saw the floor begin to crack underneath her.

Anna's fingers dug into the tiles of the floor, sending fissures that spread around her in cracks shaped like that of a web. She lowered her head, veins pulsating across her forehead as she knitted her brows in a deep, hateful frown. Her eyes shot open, making her older sister back away in terror as black replaced the white and blue in them.

Wind rushed out of Anna's body, spreading out in a wave that rattled the grate and windows and blew away the chairs in the room. Her teeth gritted until they screeched, the sound heightening as her canines extended till they were the length of an animal's fangs. Tremors spread across the room, cracks deepening and spreading on the floor towards Elsa who backed away.

"Anna." Her eyes dilated in worry.

A sudden silence rushed in and the tremors halted, the steam receding completely from Anna's body as she bowed over. Her head shot up and she screamed wildly, her voice spreading out and causing the windows in the hall to shatter to pieces. Fire exploded out of her, encompassing the expanse violently and burning everything in its path.

* * *

TORGEIR WALKED out of the front entrance of the fortress, looking around as he searched for the men he followed. He stepped further when he heard a scream coming from behind him, turning as shock enveloped him. His eyes widened in surprise as a wave of fire spread towards him rapidly and began to engulf the entire edifice.

He leapt forward, blown away by the wave of the explosion as it spread out, flinging him to the ground. He turned over painfully, leaning his head against a rock as he watched, breathing heavily as he backed away. A gigantic bellow of fire rose into the sky, the resultant smoke ascending to the clouds as the once enormous building stood as a pile of rubble.

Anna stood at the centre of the fire, screaming wildly as the flames exploded out of her body.

* * *

HIS OLD eyes squinted as he raised his head to the sky, his face exuding worry as he watched along with the others. Grand Pabbie and the Trolls looked at the Northern Lights in the early morning in The Valley of the Living Rock, curious and wrapped at attention. The display surged violently through the sky, electric in nature as it spread out, sending inconsistent flashes across the plane.

"Grand Pabbie." A female troll approached him. "What's happening to the sky?"

"It's Anna." He furrowed his brow.

"Anna?" The troll backed up in confusion.

"It's just like the time Kristoff brought her to us when her heart was frozen." Grand Pabbie frowned. "The Lights instantly went off when she fainted and slowly began to freeze over."

"But, what does this have to do with her?" The troll raised her brow. "The Lights were there long before she was born, weren't they?"

"The Lights are a part of nature; she did not create them, but they can be disturbed when someone draws power from them." Grand Pabbie stepped forward. "Anna draws power from the sun and it's the source of the Lights. Even so, this isn't normal even for her."

"What do you mean?" The troll looked at the sky.

"This is the turmoil I sensed in her, a power trying to take control of her mind; a war between spirit and flesh." Grand Pabbie sighed. "She's awoken a dark power …"

* * *

ELSA RUBBED her head as she pushed her body up from the rubble, her hands crunching against a shard of ice from the shield she forged to protect herself from the blast. She looked onward and gasped in terror as she watched her sister stand before her, unable to recognize her at all. Anna growled and clenched her fists, her eyes focussed on Erhard as a large flame surrounded her.

"… the Demon Force …"

* * *

**As always, Follow, Favourite and Review and Await the Awesomeness as we dive deeper into the universe. Thanks for reading.**


	8. The Blackest of Tidings

A HORSE nickered as its owner approached it, the dull sounds of hooves hitting the soft mud muffling in its ears as he placed a feeding bucket to its mouth. Balder manoeuvred through the cluster of soldiers that roamed the camp, his hand clutched to his sword hilt as he grew tense in their company. Frowning as he approached Kristoff who sat on a wood stump near a tent, he stomped hard on the ground, drawing his attention.

"Uh, did I do something?" Kristoff chuckled.

"Though my Queen is no longer present, I'm still sworn to do my duty to protect you." Balder huffed. "Dude, what're you doing here?"

"Isn't that what the guards are for?" Kristoff grazed a whetstone against the axe.

"How would I keep an eye on you when you're all the way here?" Balder lowered his eyelids.

"I'm just sharpening my axe, that a problem?" Kristoff raised his brow.

"Only if you plan to participate in this war."

"Why else would I be here?"

"Kristoff, we are going against the Order –,"

"And you think I don't know that?" Kristoff sat back. "I know what's going to happen here and I need to be prepared."

"You're a prince; you're not supposed to fight here."

"I'm not a prince."

"Well, you're betrothed to Anna, which means you'll become one." Balder shrugged.

"And you're sleeping with Queen Elsa, so I wonder why you're still acting like you work for her." Kristoff smirked.

"I –," A soldier interrupted Balder.

Kristoff chuckled as the soldier spoke to Balder, returning to sharpening his axe. Though he was afraid of what was to come, he was determined to do anything to ensure Anna's safety even if it meant sacrificing himself. Turning away from the soldier, Balder walked up to Kristoff who set the whetstone aside.

"The scouts have located the fortress in a mountain a few leagues away from here. We're heading out now."

"Great." Kristoff stood up. "I'll go get Sven ready." He began to leave.

"Kristoff." Balder held his shoulder, halting him. "You have to consider what you're getting yourself into." He removed his hand. "You're no warrior; you're a mountain man, you could get yourself killed."

"Well, you're just an advisor, so what's the difference?" Kristoff stitched his brows.

"I grew up in Westeros." Balder shrugged.

"But … okay, that's a good argument, but you're not stopping me. I can't just sit back while Anna's facing who knows what in the fortress." Kristoff frowned.

"Are you sure you're prepared." Balder's face hardened. "The chances of you losing your life are high whether they have dragons or not."

"I am." Kristoff sheathed his axe on his back. "I'm prepared for what's coming."

* * *

THE LIGHT of flames reflected in Elsa's eyes, fear and confusion exuding from them as she watched her sister apprehensively. Flames roared around them like a furnace, Anna standing in the middle of the sea of rubble with eyes wide and completely black and teeth gritted as fangs glared. Her hair hovered in its full length, elevated by the flames that exploded from her body. The strawberry blonde locks slowly changed in colour, blood red spreading from the root to the ends that moved upward.

"Anna …" Elsa's brows furrowed.

Erhard stood a few feet away from Anna, his hands clasped behind his back as he looked at the ruins of his once magnificent fortress. Cocking his neck, he turned to the princess who looked at him with immense hatred. The fires around them receded into the earth, smouldering into strips of smoke that rose to the air, leaving Anna as the only flame burning wildly.

The princess clenched her fists and frowned deeply, growling furiously as her teeth gritted. She screamed and lunged toward him; shooting forward at high speeds, sending rocks flying behind her. She hit him with a right hook, the force of the collision sending out a shockwave that spread across the ruins and sent Elsa flying.

Anna punched Erhard again, smacking him against the ground and digging him through the concrete. Rocks flew into the sky as she drilled his body through the floor, taking him underground. The earth shuddered as a crater formed from the collision and deepened into a chasm, causing Elsa to bounce off it as she fell and the two to disappear into the darkness.

Clutching her hands to a rock, Elsa slammed onto the ground, coughing deeply as she struggled to her knees. She looked around, seeing the rubble around her exude smoke and the large hole in the earth before her. She turned to her left, seeing the four dragons from before stalk toward her, their mouths slowly opening as they moved up to her.

* * *

ROCKS SPRAYED outward, falling into the waters below as Anna flew through the roof of an underground cave, Erhard's collar held tightly in her grasp. He grabbed her shoulders and spun in mid-air, flinging her onto the ground. She flipped over and landed the shallow water that floored the bottom of the cave, looking closely at him as he hovered in the air.

Her eyes widened in surprise, her fists clenching tighter as she watched him descend before her, drawing a low, angry growl from her. Flames exploded out of her body, forming into a shape of a large Fire Demon's body as she shot toward him and punched him, sending him flying to her right, grazing against a wall of the cave and sending rocks flying about.

She flew around him, lunging onto him and pounding him with balled fists, smashing him into the wall. She hit him repeatedly, her fists crashing against his face relentlessly as she dug him deeper into the underground cave. She flew back, letting him hurl further into the wall then shot back to him, smacking him aside with a swift kick to the head.

He flung through the rocks and onto a roof of a tunnel, bouncing off it and slamming onto the ground, slowly rising to his feet. Anna crashed before him, the force of her landing echoing throughout as she looked at him. She bent back, breathing in deeply and shot her head forward, spraying a torrent of fire out of her mouth, engulfing the walls of the tunnel.

The fires enveloped him, washing over like a sea of lava, burning everything in their path. She unloaded on him, screaming fiercely as she drowned him in the torrent of flame, incinerating some of the rocks that forged the cave. He shot towards her, flying through the attack unhindered and punched her mouth shut, hurling her backward.

Anna caught herself in mid-air, hovering with eyes wide in shock, her cheek bruised by the punch. Wiping her mouth, she gasped as she saw blood coating her hand and dripping on the ground. Clenching her fist, she frowned and turned to Erhard, seeing him walk toward her nonchalantly.

His body was bruised, but not burnt; his clothes coated in mud and small rocks. His expression was unfazed, emotionlessly looking at her as he approached, deepening her anger. A purple aura exuded gently from him, receding quickly as he walked up to her.

"I must admit that your attacks are quite impressive, but I've ascended too far for you to burn me." Erhard held his arms out. "I am a god and my followers have been battling magical creatures for a century. Your fire and your sister's ice cannot hurt us."

She screamed wildly and shot up to him with a punch, meeting rushing air as he held her wrist and halted her. He flipped her over with one arm and kicked her away, hurling her toward a wall. She balanced herself before she crashed and flew back to him, throwing a knee to his midsection that he blocked with his palms.

He skidded back and stopped in place, looking her blankly in the eye as her breath hitched fearfully. He elbowed her in the gut and chest, grabbing her arm and tossed her overhead, slamming her on the ground. He stomped on her face, crashing her against the rocks and kicked her away, causing her to roll over repeatedly.

He wiped blood from his chin and flicked it away, clasping his hands behind his back. She struggled to her knees, her body still ablaze though weakened by the counterattack. Locking eyes with him, she rose to her feet, shaken, but not defeated.

"Pursue me if you must, but you're already defeated." He looked at her blankly.

She flew up to him and punched him in the gut, sending out waves of fire that spread across the tunnel.

* * *

ELSA ROSE into the grey skies, her eyes darting around and apprehensive; fists clenched tightly. An icy aura exuded out of her body, glistening softly as it enveloped her from head to toe. The early morning's dim light made the dragons hard to see as their black skin nearly camouflaged with the darkness.

One of the beasts flew up behind her and bit at her leg, coming in contact with the aura that caked its teeth over with ice. The beast recoiled, shaking its head as she sent a barrage of icicles its way, smashing them on its head. The animal swerved around the attack and spat flames at her that she swiftly dodged.

Another beast flew at her and she sent jets of ice at its wings, futilely trying to freeze it as it smashed them to pieces. Holding her arm before her, she blocked a dragon that bit at her with an ice shield, shoving it into its mouth and smacking it away. She did a flip kick and two roundhouses, sending waves of ice onto the animals as they came from all sides.

She dove to the ground, landing with a loud thud and touched the earth hastily, spreading rime around her. Crossing her arms over her head, she forged a conical ice tent, sending out harpoons from its roof that shot towards the dragons. Two of the beasts swerved around, another sprayed fire on a weapon and the fourth received a blow to the chest, flung to the ground.

Three of the beasts landed around the tent, spitting fire from all sides, quickly melting it. She rose to her feet and shot her fists out thrice, dividing the structure into thirds and driving them towards the dragons. The animals incinerated the sheets, firing at her and she flew into the air, avoiding the attack.

A dragon shot up to her, bit at her arm and she moved out of the way swiftly, letting the beast fly above her. She grabbed its tail, coating it with ice as she spun around while using its body as a shield against the waves of fire the others below sent her way. Tossing the animal away, she dove toward the remaining three, blanketing them in a thick sheet of ice.

She landed nearby; trudging as she nearly crashed and fell on her knees, breathing heavily. Strained from the use of magic, she tried to calm her mind, slowly rising to her feet. A soft light came from behind her, turning to see the mound of ice quickly melting as a flare shone underneath it.

The ice shattered and the dragons broke out, spraying fire at her wildly while the fourth descended from the sky. She crossed her arms before her, raising a wall of ice that quickly melted as the flames hit it. The dragon shot down and swallowed her, leaving her legs dangling as its teeth grated against the ice aura that slowly coated its teeth.

Elsa panicked as the copious amounts of saliva coated her, her arms scrambling as she tried to find something to latch onto in the dark aperture. A source of light came as fires peaked from the dragon's gullet, fear dilating her eyes the orifice grew hot. She encased her head in ice, clasping her eyes shut as she braced herself.

The dragon shook its head repeatedly, slapping her legs around as it tried to bite through her ice aura. Fire seeped between its teeth as it gritted against her body, nearly breaking through the ice that frosted its teeth. Snow snaked out of the beast's mouth, spreading across its neck as its body froze solid from the inside out. She thrust her head back, shattering its body and flew away at great speed, creating a sonic boom that flung the ice back.

Ice shards sprayed around as Elsa flew through the air, her body spiralling as she lost control and crashed on the summit of a large hill. She groaned as she balanced herself on her elbows, a warmth radiating from her midsection up to her chest. Placing her hand on her stomach, she winced as she felt blood seep out of it, bite marks lining it across her body.

She forced herself to her knees, holding her gut gingerly as she slowly caked it in frost, hardening it into a thick casing that moved up to her breasts. Raising her head, her eyes widened in horror as she saw several black horses littered all over the ground below. Furrowing her brow, she inspected the area, seeing a large cellar door open a few metres from the fortress's ruins that had rubble heaping around it.

"Oh no." She frowned, looking around desperately as she worried about Anna. Looking forward, her face whitened in worry. "Oh my God."

* * *

A LARGE cliff stood over the fortress across from the hill that Elsa was on, several horses and banner men standing atop it. The monarchs of the Table were on their steeds, their closest guards at their sides as they saw the soldiers of the Order gather below. King Hans, Queen Rapunzel, Duke Eugene, Princess Snow White, Princess Cinderella, the princess and prince of Weselton, Kristoff and Balder and the rest of the royals watched as the war was about to happen.

"Why is there no fortress?" Hans' brows stitched in confusion.

"Maybe it's part of the design or something?" Snow White raised her brow.

"No, the fortress once stood there, but it was destroyed." A prince looked closely at the rubble. "Most likely a few moments before we arrived."

"By what?" Princess Cinderella clung to the reins of her horse.

"I don't know." The prince frowned.

Balder looked around the area, his eyes latching onto the forests surrounding the mountainous terrain where the Table's soldiers prepared to strike. Relieved, his frown died slightly when his mind moved to Elsa and Anna, wondering if they were okay. His eyes widened when he heard footsteps approaching, quickly turning as he and the others saw a man approach them.

"Sir Balder!" The man breathed heavily.

"Who are you?" A guard reached for his sword.

"Stand down." Balder turned to him. "He's one of my men."

"Sir Balder!" Arnljot panted. "You-you need to get out of here right now!"

"What's going on?" Kristoff frowned.

"I've been following Elsa and Anna as you requested and I found something!" Arnljot coughed. "You need to get out of here right away!"

"What's happening?" Balder listened to Arnljot speak. "What!?"

* * *

THE SOLDIERS of the Table rode out of the bushes, their sigils held up proudly by their banner men as they proceeded. The generals of Arendelle and Corona were on the frontlines amongst those of the other kingdoms, their hands clutched around the hilts of their swords. Drawing their weapons, they looked onward at the army of the Order who approached them.

"Attack!" The general of Arendelle held his sword before him.

The soldiers gave a unanimous battle cry and charged just as the army of the Order advanced, engaging them in the middle of the mountainous field. The men looked like ants from Elsa's point of view, but she could clearly see that the Order was completely outnumbered. From her estimate, there were roughly sixteen thousand soldiers of the Table against the Order's nine thousand. Though it was a source of relief, she wondered what would happen next as she looked around for the dragons she was fighting.

A sharp pain detoured her train of thought, drawing a shudder from her as she shut her eyes and held her stomach tightly. Lowering her head, she saw the blood seep through her icy coating, crimson spreading across her abdomen. Thawing the cast slowly, her breath hitched as she heard footsteps approach her, turning swiftly to see Torgeir approach her, his hand clasped around his sword hilt.

"Queen Elsa." He ran toward her.

"Oh, it's you." She sighed.

"What happened?" He knelt beside her.

"Dragons." She grunted. "Four of 'em." She gasped. "They were fierce."

"You're bleeding out."

"Kinda got the point."

"Lay down, we've got to clean the wound to prevent infection and stop it from flowing freely."

"Yeah." She strained.

Lying on her back with a struggle, she slowly thawed the ice cast on her abdomen, exposing the cuts that lined across it. Stitching his brows with worry, he quickly pulled out a cloth from his pocket and a small water flask from his jacket. Dampening the rag, he slowly dabbed her stomach, cleaning the blood that began to spread.

Gritting her teeth in pain, she watched him quickly clean the wound, his vigour bringing a smile to her face. Charitableness seemed to run in the family in her view as he was as quick to come to her aid as Balder was. Having cleaned her stomach, he stepped back, looking at the wound as he turned to her.

"Encase your stomach in the ice then turn over so I can clean the rest of the wound." Torgeir dampened the rag.

Elsa placed a hand on her stomach, snow slowly spreading from it and caking over the wound, covering up to the bottom of her breasts. She turned over slowly, struggling as the pain as she lay down. Torgeir dabbed the rug over the wound, cleaning the blood off the bite marks on her back while moving some of the burnt fabric of her jacket that stuck out of them.

"You can cover the rest of the wound now." Torgeir tossed the rag away, placing the water flask in his jacket.

"Thanks." Elsa slowly rose to her feet as the ice spread from her stomach and covered her back. With the wave of a hand, she created a crystal-blue 4/4 jacket over her wound.

"We need to get back to the others." Torgeir drew his sword. "With the war underway, they are definitely nearby."

"We have to warn them about the dragons." She began to leave.

"Where's Princess Anna?" He followed her.

"She can handle herself." Elsa frowned. "We need to warn them before it's too late."

* * *

ANNA SCREAMED as she flung through the air, bouncing off the rocks as she rolled over to a stop, blood trickling down her mouth. Erhard walked calmly towards her, a blue aura exuding from his body as he approached. Studying him closely as she rose to her feet, she saw his body in full view.

Brown metal bracelets wrapped around his forearms, glowing yellow orbs zigzagging on top of them as his arms were exposed because of his burnt cloak. Ripping the garment off, his upper body came to view. He was muscular with Norwegian Runic markings running across his arms and his clean shaven head. His eyes were cold and glowing, just as the vapour that escaped him in breaths as he exhaled heavily.

"I have tapped into the arcane Norn magic and I am beyond you." Erhard frowned. "From this day forth, I shall not be called Erhard Vinzenz. Behold, the Dragon God."

* * *

CANNON BALLS hurled through the air, crashing on different soldiers and setting their bodies ablaze as they sent dust flying around. Swords clashed, the intensity of the collisions creating sparks as the cacophony of the clanging meshed the screams of war. Soldiers' corpses strewn over the battlefield, the Order's army being pushed back as the Table advanced. Balder frowned as he watched the battle, his eyes trailing across the field as he saw the Table's soldiers defeat those of the Order.

"This is too easy." He stroked his chin. "I mean, I know we outnumber them, but this still should have been a harder fight."

"Come on, are you hearing yourself? We completely outnumber them! There's no way they could win!" Kristoff punched his shoulder. "Be excited, we're winning this."

"It still does not feel right." He turned to him. "I mean, first we uncover an century old conspiracy within minutes and now we're defeating an army known for defeating thousands of dragons? Don't you think that this is too good to be true? Where are the dragons they were speaking of?"

"Maybe your spy was wrong." Kristoff shrugged.

"He is never wrong about such things." Balder frowned.

"I think you're paranoid." Kristoff chuckled.

Elsa descended as she lifted Torgeir by his armpits, drawing the attention of the monarchs on the hill. Landing slowly, she set him down, a hand placed on her stomach as she winced in pain. Balder dismounted from his horse as the others turned to her, running as he embraced her excitedly.

"Elsa, I thought something happened to you." He hugged her tightly.

"Ah, ah, ah, ribs, ribs!" She winced.

"Oh, forgive me." He pulled away. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, just a lil beat up." She smiled wistfully.

"What happened to you?" Hans dismounted his horse and approached her.

"Dragons attacked me, I found my parents' corpses, Erhard has magi –," Balder interrupted Elsa.

"Wait, calm down." Balder held her shoulders. "Speak slowly."

"There're dragons, I've come across four of them and there might be more." Elsa looked around worriedly.

"We already know about the dragons." Balder stepped back.

"How do you know about them?" She raised her brow.

"I had Arnljot follow you and he just told me what happened." Balder gestured to him.

"Wait, what –,"

"Where's Anna?" Rapunzel walked up to her.

A screeching roar echoed across the plain, its reverberation sending shivers up everyone's spines as they looked to the skies. The soldiers stopped their fighting, unison fear spreading through the atmosphere as everyone seized up in shock. The flapping of wings met their ears, silhouettes dragons coming to view in the horizon.

Several dragons littered the dim grey skies, five hundred of them, creating a small cloud as they ascended from the forests below. They sent a dark cloud over the soldiers who watched in fear, as the beasts soared over them. Amongst them were ten dragons in silver armour that plated their bodies with the Order's sigil it, the largest of them having heavy golden armour on it.

"By the gods." A soldier of Corona gulped.

"Odin help us." A soldier of Arendelle clung to his sword.

"You know, it's weird that we train with them every day and their roars still freak us out." An Order soldier turned to his compatriot.

The dragons sprayed fire upon the soldiers of the table, spreading out across the battlefield. Some of the beasts swooped down and bit the soldiers, others landing as they burnt others in their path. A dragon grabbed a soldier's horse with its front paws, taking the rider with it as it ascended. The soldier stabbed its paw, freeing himself as it let go of him, letting him plummet. Another dragon flew towards him and bit him whole before he hit the ground.

"Fall back!" A general shouted as he directed his horse to run off.

A dragon descended and bit his torso, gnashing its teeth against his body as it thrashed it about and tossed it away. The army of the Order began their attack, cutting down the militia of the Table who were overwhelmed by the beasts that soared above. A soldier of Arendelle blocked a sword slash, pushing the blade away when a dragon smacked him away with its paw.

The beast stalked toward him, its breath hot and heavy as it growled at him, embers rising as the seeped between its teeth. The soldier backed away on the ground, quickly getting to his feet as he flailed his blade around fearfully, failing to faze the beast. He shoved his sword at the dragon and it bit it in half, blanketing him in a torrent of flame.

A soldier of Corona drove a spear into the animal's side, quickly shoved aside as it turned to him and bit at him, meeting a shield that he quickly raised. The dragon crushed the weapon and scooped him up with its mouth, biting him in half. Four soldiers of Weselton fired arrows from crossbows from all sides, piercing its chest and front legs.

The animal roared and lunged at them, spreading its wings apart as it bit one of the soldiers and flung the other three into the air simultaneously. Two dragons flew past and ate the men as they fell, spreading out and pouring down tubes of flame. The soldiers of the Table were overwhelmed, fighting the army of the Order on the ground and evading the beasts that soared.

* * *

WITH HER hands clasped before her chest, Elsa watched in horror; the blood and gore terrifying her though she saw it from afar. Fear swam through her tremulously as she backed away, her heart washed over in panic as her fears were realized. Like a foretelling of the future, she always knew that the Table would surely fall if they challenged the Order.

"Oh my God." Rapunzel covered her mouth, her voice tremulous as tears stung her eyes.

"This can't be happening." The prince of Weselton frowned.

"We have to get out of here!" The princess of Weselton clasped her head, her eyes wide with fear.

"No, our men can handle this." Hans frowned.

"Are you seeing what's happening here? Our soldiers are getting slaughtered out there!" Kristoff glared at him.

"A retreat would be wise, my King." Han's general turned to him.

"We can't do that." Hans shook his head.

"Are you hearing yourself?" Snow White raised her brow.

"If we retreat, there's a greater chance that we'll lose all our men as they chase us." Hans turned to her. "We prepared for the dragon attack; we will not fail."

"Oh, God; I knew I shouldn't have brought my men here." Cinderella's eyes darted in a panic.

Balder frowned as he watched the war, his eyes darting around as he studied the situation; his thumbs rubbing against his fingers as he clenched his fists. He knew the danger of facing dragons, but still insisted that they should wage war on the Order. If he took the time to work out a better strategy, things would have worked out in his favour, but he cast all recourses aside. He knew better, but went against his own judgment. His thoughts plagued his mind.

It was indeed too easy. How could a century old secret be uncovered in less than half an hour? How did they come across a map leading to the Order's fortress after they sent only one spy? It has been a long discussed issue amongst the councilmen of the Table and none of their highly trained men had ever found a single clue pertaining to it. How could they discover it all so quickly?

It was too easy and as he watched the war, he began to understand why. It was all planned for; everything that had happened was strung together so that the Table would come into the hands of the Order. A whimper drew his attention and he turned to see Elsa close to tears, her lips curved as she held her shoulders in horror.

"Elsa, calm down." He walked up to her. "We will defeat the Order."

"No, we can't!" A tear ran down her cheek. "It's over!" Her voice quietened. "It's all over ..." She sniffled. "They're gonna kill us all and there's nothing we can do about it."

"No, we can." He held her shoulders. "Together; I'll go down there with you if you want me to."

"What?!" She backed away.

"We need you down there. With your powers –,"

"No, no, no! I'm not gonna fight those things!" She moved away from him. "I fought only four and look what they did to me?" She lifted her blouse, revealing the ice coating her wound.

"…" He frowned, studying the wound as a frown crossed his face. "The soldiers will be with you this time and I'm here."

"Balder, I not gonna fight them!" She breathed heavily. "I … don't want to do this." She wiped her tear. "I'm not a fighter; I don't wanna be. I can't help you."

"Elsa, if you don't help then we're all gonna die here." He frowned. "I don't want you to fight, I don't want to see you get hurt; not ever … but if you don't help them and fight those dragons, then they'll kill all of us."

Elsa's brows stitched as she lowered her head, thoughts racing in her mind as she sifted through it. She looked up at him to speak when a shadow cast over them, wind gathering as the golden armoured dragon descended upon them. Pushing Balder aside, Elsa flew toward the beast, creating a dome of ice that shielded the monarchs behind her and threw a left hook caked in ice, sending out a loud echo as her fist collided with its helmet.

* * *

THE ECHO resounded across the island, animals raising their heads at attention upon hearing it, others retreating from resonance. Several cloaked men moved in the bushes, sharing glances as the sound met their ears. Nodding in agreement, they split up, whispering instructions to each other as they proceeded through the forest toward the mountainous valley where the battle was underway.

* * *

ELSA SWERVED away from the torrent of flame the golden armoured dragon spat at her, coating her arms in ice as the icy aura exuded from her. The beast flew toward her, smashing its forehead against her midsection, sending her plummeting to the ground. Thrashing its head about, the dragon broke the ice that caked its head, diving down toward her as it shot fire at her.

Diving out of the way, Elsa collapsed on the ground, rolling to her feet as she bumped into another dragon that stalked towards her. The two beasts sprayed fire onto her and she launched into the sky, sending jets of ice on them and raising her arms up, forming icicles that littered the sky. She shot her arms down, pouring them onto the beasts, piercing some of them and others bouncing off the armoured dragons.

The golden armoured dragon spat fire at Elsa, meeting ice as she forged a shield before her and ascended into the air. An armoured dragon smacked its tail against her head, sending her crashing to the ground as the golden armoured dragon flew up, its mouth open wide. She balanced herself, sending a jet of ice into the golden armoured dragon's mouth and blanketing the other dragon with a wave of ice.

The golden armoured dragon shook its head and roared, summoning the remaining nine armoured dragons to its side. Breathing heavily, Elsa flew back, turning as she saw the beasts surround her and ready to attack. A boulder smashed against a dragon, hurling it to the ground.

Four large rocks flung at the armoured dragons, dispersing them as they swooped down to the soldiers below. Several Table militia manned catapults wheeled into the area, far from the others who fought off the Order's army. A soldier of Arendelle fired a cannon at a dragon, crushing its neck and crashing it to the ground.

The golden armoured dragon zigzagged through the air, avoiding hurling boulders and spears, swooping down and breaking the catapult to bits and biting the soldier who manned it whole. Elsa sent a jet of ice on the dragon, splintering to pieces as the beast smacked them away with its wing and flew up to her. She blanketed it in a shell, freezing it whole and backed away, letting it crash it to the ground. The armoured dragon exploded out of the shell before it hit the earth, engulfing her in a torrent of flame. Elsa swerved out of the way and hurled to the ground, landing on a rock.

Purple lights appeared on the summits of the hills encircling the battle field, littering them like candles and snuffing out instantly. Several cloaked men stood on the hills, looking down at the soldiers and raising their hands before them. Energy runic circles appeared before them, aimed at the Table's army.

"Regni tonitrui!" The cloaked men chanted.

Jolts of red lightning shot out of the runes, raining upon the Table's soldiers and turning their bodies to ash. A silence fell and a low rumbling sound came as a mist spread throughout the battlefield, drawing the attention of the soldiers. A cloaked man looked closely at the cloud that formed, seeing Elsa slowly rise from it into the air.

"What is this?"

Her eyes were an azure blue and glowing, her skin turning icy as it snaked up her arms and enveloped her face. Her hair changed colour, the platinum locks into a deep blue as they hovered in an immense aura that exuded from her body. Her breath fogged as she rose above the battlefield, her head turning to the ground as the mist that blanketed it subsided.

The soldiers backed away in shock, weapons at the ready as they saw several large, humanoid ice creatures stand amongst them. The giants were nine feet tall, their body encased in thick armour with Norn war markings that raced down their limbs and up their necks. Their helmets obscured their faces and covered their heads, the tallest and most built amongst them wearing on that had a series of small horns pointing straight upward.

Raising her arm, frost coated her hand, forging the shaft of a scythe with blades on both ends. She pointed the weapon forward, exhaling eerily and the giants let out a warrior's roar in unison. The ice army created bladed weapons of ice, charging on the Order's soldiers, engaging them in fierce battle.

The creatures overwhelmed the Order's foot soldiers, despite them being a hundred, overpowering them brutally. The horned giant walked amongst them, smacking men aside with his large shield and skewering some with a double-edged broadsword. Another ice creature jumped onto a soldier, ripping his body in half with its bare hands and launched into the air, blocking a magicians lightning bolt with its forearm.

The creature landed on a hill, kicking a cloaked man off it as it smashed another one's body into the earth with a mace. Smacking a lightning bolt with its shield, the giant charged bashing his skull in with the weapon and launched into the air, deflecting another magician's attack. With the swing of his mace, he crushed a man's ribs, flinging him into the air.

The golden armoured dragon roared, summoning the army of beasts upon Elsa's ice army, sending down torrents of blazing fury. Some giants fell to the attacks, but other retaliated, forging bows and arrows with which they shot down some of the flying beasts. The armoured dragons evaded the attacks, smashing some of the ice creatures to bits as they dove down and sprayed fire on the soldiers of the Table.

The horned giant smacked a dragon aside with his sword, raising his head as he heard the golden armoured dragon descend with a roar. Transforming the broadsword into a hammer, he charged at the beast as it sent a torrent of flame. Rolling out of the way, the giant ran up to it, smacking its head with the hammer, flinging it to the ground.

The beast scrambled to its feet and whipped his midsection with its tail, knocking him of its feet. The dragon pounced on him and bit at him, choking as he quickly grabbed its neck and tossed it aside. The beast rolled to its feet, growling as they circled each other, the giant brandishing his weapon at his side.

A fissure split the ground below them as they charged at each other, columns of fire spreading across the battlefield and swallowing several soldiers into the depths. A tube of flame shot out of the chasm, moving at high speeds toward Elsa who sent a jet of ice on a dragon. She turned and the fires washed over her, flinging her to the ground as they circled her and exploded outward, burning most of the soldiers and the giants. The flames gathered and formed into Berial who stalked toward Elsa who lay limply on the ground, her body stiff and sore as she tried to get to her feet.

"So, you come once again, insect? Have you not learned from our past encounter that you cannot defeat me?" He chuckled. "It seems my revelry is yet to begin. Come, insect."

Elsa shot toward him, spinning the scythe at her side, collecting snow into it, sending it in a torrent that washed over his body. Growling, Berial swung his sword down, dispersing the attack and projecting a wave of fire at her. Swerving out of the way, she flew up to him and pointed her weapon at the ground, erecting an iceberg that jutted out around him.

He burst through the ice and swung his sword at her, colliding with her scythe as he knocked her back. He swung at her again and she rolled out of the way, letting him hit the earth, creating a fissure across the ground that caught some soldiers. He swiped his sword thrice at her, meeting rushing air as she flew around carefully and evaded the attacks.

He roared and punched the ground, summoning pillars of lava that rose up in her direction. She took off, sending jets of ice at the molten earth, instantly turning to puffs of steam upon contact. He watched her as she flew and raised his arm at her when the horned ice giant smacked his hammer at his side, making him stumble.

Berial growled and spat fire at the giant, vaporising the creature. He shot a fireball out of his palm, knocking Elsa out of the sky and launched into the air, grabbing her and hurling her to the ground. She smacked against the earth and he landed nearby, stomping on her hand and shattering it and the scythe into shards.

She screamed in agony and he kicked her away, flinging her into a rock. He stalked toward her, ignoring boulders the soldiers of the Table catapulted at him that exploded on contact. Elsa clung to her shoulder and backed away from the monster, pain swimming through her body as she looked at her shattered wrist.

* * *

ANNA'S BODY rolled to a stop, smacking against the wall of the tunnel, covered in bruises. Erhard sauntered toward her, his hands clasped behind him as he studied her. She laid motionlessly, blood streaking from her mouth and the wounds on her stomach.

With a huff, he walked away, looking around the tunnel to get his bearings when he heard fire crackling behind him. A warm glow met his face as he turned, a frown crossing his face as he saw Anna stir. She got on all fours and growled as fire exploded from her body, illuminating the area.

"Impossible." He walked toward her. "You're unconscious."

Her head shot up and she hissed as she slowly rose to her feet. She pounced on him and punched him, sending out fissures in the earth, causing the entire tunnel to shudder and sand to fall from its roof. She hit him relentlessly, sending rocks flying as a crater began to form.

He kicked her off him and flew back, quickly pinned to a wall as she tackled him. She held his neck and looked him angrily in the eye as she stabbed his stomach with her hand. He spat out blood as she held onto his flesh tightly, trying to rip it out of his body.

He head butted her and she screamed, piercing his stomach with her other hand and gripped his flesh as she spun around and tossed him to the earth. Bouncing off the ground, he cringed as he got to his feet, seeing his blood trickle to the ground. She lunged at him and he frowned, giving her a swift uppercut that sent her through the roof of the tunnel.

* * *

ELSA LEANED against the rock, breathing heavily as she looked at her shattered wrist, seeing the ice slowly reform. Shivering as her body slowly turned back to normal, she kept her maimed arm in a frosted state as it regenerated, trying to stay conscious as pain overwhelmed her. Berial chuckled as he approached her, seeing the ice army she created crushed at the hands of the Ersyx, the ten armoured dragons.

The earth rumbled and Anna flung out of it, her blood spraying about as she rolled on the rocks. Erhard shot out of the chasm and landed before her, watching closely as she scrambled to her feet. Raising his hand before him, his eyes glinted and she froze as she lunged at him screaming wildly.

"Caelo ruenti dormiens gigas." He breathed calmly.

Blood spurted out of Anna's mouth and she plummeted, blood pooling around her as she went out cold. Erhard frowned and raised his hand to Elsa, flinging her forward telekinetically and slamming her on the ground beside Anna. Raising his arm, he ripped the chest away from Elsa's ice necklace, bringing it to him. He placed his hand on his stomach, a purple energy exuding from the wounds slowly healing them.

Cold winds swept around her, the unyielding fog giving nothing but vague grey and blue. Her dry lips quivered and her eyes fluttered opened, rime screeching under her fingernails as she sat up. A loud ringing in her ears gave way to screams and wails muffling with the sounds of steel clanging against each other.

Her platinum blonde hair shifted gently as she turned, a sense of deep worry and confusion enveloping her. Her sister lay unconscious across from her, strawberry blonde hair obscuring her face and soaking in crimson. Blood pooled around her, streaking up to her fingers.

"A… Anna?" She inched toward her sister, pain radiating in her right shoulder as she sobered slowly.

Berial parted the mist behind her, his colossal form towering over as he approached. He swung his sword down at her, its sheer girth emanating a muffled sound as it moved. He stopped when he felt a strong power envelop him.

A silence fell over the battlefield, all the soldiers, beasts, magicians and monarchs arrested in fear as they looked to the sky. Erhard's face whitened in terror, his body manacled by shock as he looked upward stiffly. Overwhelmed with pain, Elsa coughed and shifted her body, a gasp escaping her as she looked to the sky.

* * *

HIRO CHUCKLED as he sat back, his phone held in hand as he turned to Baymax, the robot's eyes blinking in confusion as he failed to get the joke. Wiping a tear, GoGo's laugh died down as she felt a cold sweep through her. The three looked to the sky, rising from their seats at the café table, shock and surprise enveloping them.

"What the hell?" Hiro frowned.

* * *

HIS EARS rose sharply and his nose twitched, his body stiffened as he turned to the globe. His old, hefty friend walked past him, his head shaking in surprise as he looked onward in horror. A black cloud moved across the globe, lights on the continents flickering as it passed them.

"What is that?" A woman in green walked past him. "Is it Pitch?"

"If only it was …"

* * *

GULPING THE last of his beer, a pink-haired man sat back and sighed gratefully, his blonde friend shaking her head as she watched him nearly fall over the bench. His feline friend walked across the sand, his ears twitching as he turned to the sky. A redhead looked up as well, her brows stitching in curiosity and fear.

"Uh, am I the only one seeing this?" The pink-haired man raised his brow.

"What in the world?" The blonde rose to her feet.

"I'm sensing very powerful magic at work here." The redhead shuddered. "It's hard to believe."

* * *

LAUGHS SPREAD through the atmosphere as the party reached its peak. Goku and Vegeta chowed down on the food, bringing a frown to Beerus as Weiss held him back. Chichi chuckled as she watched her husband gorge himself when a shadow came over her. Piccolo rose to his feet and looked up at the sky, filled with fear as everyone was gripped at attention.

"What is that?" Piccolo frowned.

"Can you feel that, Weiss?" Beerus turned to him.

"Yes, it's him." Weiss shuddered. "I never thought I'd feel this fear ever again."

* * *

HIS GOLDEN eyes glinted as he looked at the stars at the end of the large hall. Thor walked through the archway, frowning instantly as he felt a strong force overcome him. Running to Heimdall's side, the thunder god looked at the stars before him.

"Heimdall, what was that?" Thor turned to him.

"Our end." He turned to him. "Dark days are ahead of us, Odinson."

* * *

ELSA'S EYES dilated in surprise as she looked upward, her body shivering as she struggled to her feet. An enormous black streak moved across the sky, blocking out the sun and covering many clouds in its wake. It overshadowed everything and instilled a heavy darkness and fear in everyone who saw it. Erhard frowned and looked away, turning to Berial who stepped back fearfully.

"Is it him?" Erhard struggled.

"… If he is coming to earth, then I must replenish my powers." Berial walked away.

Berial held his hand before him and a portal appeared, its opening letting fire seep out into the area. The beast walked in and the gateway shut, sucking in the flames that came from it. Erhard raised his hand and the remaining dragons turned to him, the golden armoured dragon nodding as it flew up to him. Landing beside him, the beast bowed over, letting him mount it as he looked around the battlefield.

"This war is over." Erhard's voice boomed. "The Order has suffered heavy losses, but further violence is meaningless. This day is of great significance; the day mankind will forever remember for its insignificance. Humans are nothing and their end is at hand. To survive, we must ascend and I have gone far beyond anything you could ever imagine. Remember this day for I am no longer human for I am god, the Dragon god."

Grabbing the reins of his beast, Erhard flew off on the golden armoured dragon, leaving with fifty of the remaining army as they disappeared into the grey skies. The soldiers of the Table quickly subdued the remaining militia of the Order taking some prisoner and cutting down the resistant ones. Elsa sat up groggily and waved her arm, dismantling the ice army as she saw the battle die down.

Anna moaned in pain as she regained consciousness, her body numbed by the wounds that littered it as she sat up slowly. A scream of terror escaped her as she looked at her arms, fear swimming tremulously as she looked around in a panic. She lifted her shaky hands before her, stunned as she saw blood coat them and spread down to her elbows.

Elsa turned to her sister, worry enveloping her as she saw her hyperventilate and look around in horror. Fighting the agony that filled her joints, she moved quickly to her sister's side, embracing her as she consoled her. Tears flowed down Anna's cheeks as she held Elsa tightly, her eyes darting around in confusion.

* * *

MANY MONTHS had passed since the war between the Order and the Table of Eight and the monarchs had returned to their respective kingdoms. With Erhard having deserted his army, the Table won the day despite losing more than three quarters of their initial number of soldiers. There was no feast in celebration of their victory and the realm mourned for months.

Arendelle regained peace, though disgruntlement was still in the atmosphere amongst some of the citizens and Elsa was able to retake the throne. With the war behind them, the sisters decided that they deserved some happiness in their lives after the past year of turmoil even though they remained worried of the danger of Erhard who had an army of dragons and the Casket of Ancient Winters. The royal weddings were about to commence on the same day and the sisters spent hours preparing for it.

Dismissing her maids, Anna had the room to herself and walked up to a large mirror near the wall. Draping her hand in a glove, she looked at herself closely, studying the wedding dress as made a poses. She adjusted the glove on her right hand when she saw the white fabric slowly turn red.

Screaming, she stumbled back, nearly falling to the floor as she caught herself and looked at the glove. It turned back to normal and she sighed, looking around the room in case anyone heard her. She turned to her left and gasped, falling off her feet as she screamed in terror.

An apparition stalked toward, an identical clone clad in tattered clothes with red hair and black eyes. It moved limply and growled deeply, its fangs flaring as it approached her. Flailing her arms around, she tossed vases at it, smashing against the floor and walls.

"Stay back!" She breathed heavily.

"Anna?" Kristoff barged in. "Are you alright?"

She did not respond, looking around and hyperventilating as she clung to her shoulders fearfully. Kneeling beside her, he held her shoulders firmly and looked into her eyes. She saw him, but did not react, her expression completely dazed as if she did not see him at all.

"Anna!" His eyes dilated in worry.

"Huh?" She turned to him.

"What's going on?" His brows furrowed.

"N… nothing." She ran her fingers through her hair. "I just fell."

"You were screaming." He helped her up.

"I thought I saw a rat." She chuckled.

"A rat? This is a palace." He raised his brow.

"Ha, silly me." She laughed uneasily.

"Okay –,"

"Get outta here; you're not supposed to see me in the wedding dress before the ceremony starts." She pushed him toward the door.

"Haven't I seen more than that?" He chuckled.

"Well, it's bad luck." She blushed.

"I don't believe in that stuff." He turned to her in the hallway.

"Well, I do, so – bye!" She slammed the door in his face.

She leaned against the door and sighed, running her hand through her hair as she looked around the room. She looked at her hands and frowned, playing back what she saw and wondering whether it was real or not. Shrugging it off, she returned to the mirror, leaving the mess for the maids she would summon after the ceremony.

* * *

AN ORCHESTRA played music during the grand ball after the wedding ceremony and several dignitaries of the Table were attending. The festivities still made Anna feel alienated, but she did her best to fit in, much to the amusement of Kristoff and Elsa. The monarchs of Arendelle and Corona sat at the high table, overseeing the other dignitaries as they feasted at different tables.

The men, including Kristoff, Eugene, Hans, Balder and the royals of the other kingdoms were completely drunk and sung songs in their rowdy revelry. The women, including Anna, Elsa, Rapunzel and the princesses and queens of the other kingdoms watched the men in amusement at the tables walling the room. Elsa turned to her cousin, looking at her warmly as she saw her rounded belly.

"So, how's the baby doing?" Elsa placed a hand on Rapunzel's stomach.

"I'm managing." She chuckled. "It's kinda rough though."

"Really? How bad is it?" Anna raised her brow.

"Well, it's rough on Eugene anyway." Rapunzel laughed uneasily. "I can't understand myself with my mood swings and raging hormones, but it's funny when he tells me what I actually did."

The women laughed amongst themselves and talked about the unborn child, finding that Rapunzel was planning to name her Kristi. After sharing some advice on raising children from the older queens, Elsa excused herself from the table as she wanted some air. Moving past Balder, she pecked him on the cheek as she went out onto the balcony.

The sounds of the music muffled in her mind as she recollected her thoughts and looked back on the year gone past. Raising her head, she looked up at the full moon that shone over the kingdom. She sighed and leaned on the guardrail, enthralled by its beauty when she frowned and stepped back.

A man hovered in the air a few feet above her holding a staff, looking down at her as he descended slowly. His face was obscured by the blue hooded jacket he wore over close fitting brown trousers that wrapped around bare feet. She could see his silver hair faintly and saw his icy cold skin.

Snowflakes peppered off him as he got closer and he flew away, leaving a trail as he disappeared into the night sky.

"Uh, what was that?" She furrowed her brow.

* * *

THE HIGHLY decorated halls of Asgard brought a confident smile to the sly king, his step filled with purpose as he traversed the expanse. Unlocking the large doors to a vault, Loki Laufeyson walked onward and placed the Casket of Ancient Winters in a safe inscribed with Norn Runes. He made his leave when he felt a strange presence and turned around.

A black feather lay on the floor ahead from him, right before a large, cylindrical glass display case that reached the ceiling. He walked up to it, a deep frown crossing his face as he looked at him.

"Harbingers." He growled.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

Thank you very much for reading the book and we appreciate all your support. For anyone confused as to what was occurring towards the end of the book where we had several cameos of characters from different series, please read the bio. Please note that there will be no direct sequel to this book for a long time, but the main cast will appear in different books shown in the Universe's timeline on the bio as the arcs unfold.

**As always, Follow, Favourite and Review and Await the Awesomeness as we dive deeper into the universe. Thanks for reading.**


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